Author
Sonja Kahlmeier
Other affiliations: University of Basel, Prevention Institute, World Health Organization
Bio: Sonja Kahlmeier is an academic researcher from University of Zurich. The author has contributed to research in topics: Health promotion & Population. The author has an hindex of 29, co-authored 83 publications receiving 5280 citations. Previous affiliations of Sonja Kahlmeier include University of Basel & Prevention Institute.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors summarise present global efforts to counteract this problem and point the way forward to address the pandemic of physical inactivity, concluding that, although evidence for the benefits of physical activity for health has been available since the 1950s, promotion to improve the health of populations has lagged in relation to the available evidence.
2,186 citations
TL;DR: Effects of increased PA contributed the most to estimated health benefits, which strongly outweighed detrimental effects of traffic incidents and air pollution exposure on health, irrespective of geographical context.
581 citations
Book•
31 Jul 2006
TL;DR: The following countries and regions are represented in the European Union: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Uzbekistan.
Abstract: Albania Andorra Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Israel Italy Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Monaco Montenegro Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Republic of Moldova Romania Russian Federation San Marino Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Tajikistan The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Turkey Turkmenistan Ukraine United Kingdom Uzbekistan The WHO Regional Offi ce for Europe
402 citations
TL;DR: The analysis shows that walking and cycling have population-level health benefits even after adjustment for other physical activity (PA), and public health approaches would have the biggest impact if they are able to increase walked and cycling levels in the groups that have the lowest levels of these activities.
Abstract: Background and objective: Walking and cycling have shown beneficial effects on population risk of all-cause mortality (ACM). This paper aims to review the evidence and quantify these effects, adjusted for other physical activity (PA). Data sources: We conducted a systematic review to identify relevant studies. Searches were conducted in November 2013 using the following health databases of publications: Embase (OvidSP); Medline (OvidSP); Web of Knowledge; CINAHL; SCOPUS; SPORTDiscus. We also searched reference lists of relevant texts and reviews. Study eligibility criteria and participants: Eligible studies were prospective cohort design and reporting walking or cycling exposure and mortality as an outcome. Only cohorts of individuals healthy at baseline were considered eligible. Study appraisal and synthesis methods: Extracted data included study population and location, sample size, population characteristics (age and sex), follow-up in years, walking or cycling exposure, mortality outcome, and adjustment for other co-variables. We used random-effects meta-analyses to investigate the beneficial effects of regular walking and cycling. Results: Walking (18 results from 14 studies) and cycling (8 results from 7 studies) were shown to reduce the risk of all-cause mortality, adjusted for other PA. For a standardised dose of 11.25 MET.hours per week (or 675 MET. minutes per week), the reduction in risk for ACM was 11% (95% CI = 4 to 17%) for walking and 10% (95% CI = 6 to 13%) for cycling. The estimates for walking are based on 280,000 participants and 2.6 million person-years and for cycling they are based on 187,000 individuals and 2.1 million person-years. The shape of the dose–response relationship was modelled through meta-analysis of pooled relative risks within three exposure intervals. The dose–response analysis showed that walking or cycling had the greatest effect on risk for ACM in the first (lowest) exposure interval. Conclusions and implications: The analysis shows that walking and cycling have population-level health benefits even after adjustment for other PA. Public health approaches would have the biggest impact if they are able to increase walking and cycling levels in the groups that have the lowest levels of these activities. (Continued on next page)
383 citations
TL;DR: PA benefits of active travel outweighed the harm caused by air pollution in all but the most extreme air pollution concentrations, and the results were sensitive to dose–response function (DRF) assumptions for PM2.5 and PA.
304 citations
Cited by
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01 Jan 2015
TL;DR: The work of the IPCC Working Group III 5th Assessment report as mentioned in this paper is a comprehensive, objective and policy neutral assessment of the current scientific knowledge on mitigating climate change, which has been extensively reviewed by experts and governments to ensure quality and comprehensiveness.
Abstract: The talk with present the key results of the IPCC Working Group III 5th assessment report. Concluding four years of intense scientific collaboration by hundreds of authors from around the world, the report responds to the request of the world's governments for a comprehensive, objective and policy neutral assessment of the current scientific knowledge on mitigating climate change. The report has been extensively reviewed by experts and governments to ensure quality and comprehensiveness.
3,224 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a broad view of health behaviour causation, with the social and physical environment included as contributors to physical inactivity, particularly those outside the health sector, such as urban planning, transportation systems, and parks and trails, is presented.
3,063 citations
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01 Jan 1982
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss leading problems linked to energy that the world is now confronting and propose some ideas concerning possible solutions, and conclude that it is necessary to pursue actively the development of coal, natural gas, and nuclear power.
Abstract: This chapter discusses leading problems linked to energy that the world is now confronting and to propose some ideas concerning possible solutions. Oil deserves special attention among all energy sources. Since the beginning of 1981, it has merely been continuing and enhancing the downward movement in consumption and prices caused by excessive rises, especially for light crudes such as those from Africa, and the slowing down of worldwide economic growth. Densely-populated oil-producing countries need to produce to live, to pay for their food and their equipment. If the economic growth of the industrialized countries were to be 4%, even if investment in the rational use of energy were pushed to the limit and the development of nonpetroleum energy sources were also pursued actively, it would be extremely difficult to prevent a sharp rise in prices. It is evident that it is absolutely necessary to pursue actively the development of coal, natural gas, and nuclear power if a physical shortage of energy is not to block economic growth.
2,283 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors summarise present global efforts to counteract this problem and point the way forward to address the pandemic of physical inactivity, concluding that, although evidence for the benefits of physical activity for health has been available since the 1950s, promotion to improve the health of populations has lagged in relation to the available evidence.
2,186 citations
TL;DR: This paper provides further justification to prioritise promotion of regular physical activity worldwide as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce non-communicable diseases.
1,369 citations