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Journal ArticleDOI

Walking to Public Transit: Steps to Help Meet Physical Activity Recommendations

TL;DR: Walking to and from public transportation can help physically inactive populations, especially low-income and minority groups, attain the recommended level of daily physical activity.
About: This article is published in American Journal of Preventive Medicine.The article was published on 2005-11-01 and is currently open access. It has received 643 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Surgeon general & Public transport.

Summary (1 min read)

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Introduction

  • Some transit users may achieve 30 minutes of physical activity daily solely by walking to and from transit.
  • The purpose of this study was to estimate he daily level of physical activity obtained by Americans olely by walking to and from transit, and to examine he associations of these physical activity levels with age, ducation, race/ethnicity, gender, income, transit type, opulation density, and car ownership.
  • Ecause physical inactivity is associated with obesity, remature mortality, and other chronic diseases, a ealthy People 2010 objective aims to decrease the revalence of no leisure-time physical activity among mericans.
  • He Sample ouseholds were included in the final data set if 50% of the ousehold adults completed an interview (“useable” houseold).
  • Fter restrictions were made, the final sample size was 3312 ndividuals.

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Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A meta-analysis of the built environment-travel literature existing at the end of 2009 is conducted in order to draw generalizable conclusions for practice, and finds that vehicle miles traveled is most strongly related to measures of accessibility to destinations and secondarily to street network design variables.
Abstract: Problem: Localities and states are turning to land planning and urban design for help in reducing automobile use and related social and environmental costs. The effects of such strategies on travel demand have not been generalized in recent years from the multitude of available studies. Purpose: We conducted a meta-analysis of the built environment-travel literature existing at the end of 2009 in order to draw generalizable conclusions for practice. We aimed to quantify effect sizes, update earlier work, include additional outcome measures, and address the methodological issue of self-selection. Methods: We computed elasticities for individual studies and pooled them to produce weighted averages. Results and conclusions: Travel variables are generally inelastic with respect to change in measures of the built environment. Of the environmental variables considered here, none has a weighted average travel elasticity of absolute magnitude greater than 0.39, and most are much less. Still, the combined effect o...

3,551 citations


Cites background from "Walking to Public Transit: Steps to..."

  • ...Transit use is less obviously related to public health, but is still classified as active travel since it almost always requires a walk at one or both ends of the trip ( Besser & Dannenberg, 2005 ; Edwards, 2008 ; Zheng, 2008 )....

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  • ...Transit use is less obviously related to public health, but is still classified as active travel since it almost always requires a walk at one or both ends of the trip (Besser & Dannenberg, 2005; Edwards, 2008; Zheng, 2008)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Evidence on correlates appears sufficient to support policy changes and more recent evidence supports the conclusions of prior reviews, and new studies address some of the limitations of earlier studies.
Abstract: Introduction:The past decade has seen a dramatic increase in empirical investigation into the relations between built environment and physical activity. To create places that facilitate and encourage walking, practitioners need an understanding of the specific characteristics of the built en

1,710 citations


Cites background from "Walking to Public Transit: Steps to..."

  • ...Le e [4 2] , V er ne z M ou do n [6 5] 60 8 ad ul ts in K in g C ou nt y,...

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  • ...B es se r[ 5] X X X O M eT 1...

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  • ...[5 1] C hi ld re n (a nd ca re gi ve rs ) fr om 1 6 C al ifo rn ia sc ho ol s i n th e Sa fe R ou te s t o Sc ho ol pr og ra m (p re in te rv en tio n) Su rv ey ; s tre et se gm en t ev al ua tio n on st re et s w ith in ....

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  • ...R ee d [5 6] 1, 14 8 ad ul ts in 2 1 ce ns us tra ct s i n Su m te r C ou nt y, S C Su rv ey Pe rc ei ve d si de w al k pr es en ce N ei gh bo rh oo d de fin ed a s 1⁄2...

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  • ...There was considerable variability in the type of walking assessed, ranging from walking to a specific location [5], to a specific type of walking such recreational walking [21] or walking to a store [30] to total [26] or general walking (e....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Environment, policy, and multilevel strategies for improving diet, physical activity, and obesity control are recommended based on a rapidly growing body of research and the collective wisdom of leading expert organizations.
Abstract: Context: Environmental, policy, and societal changes are important contributors to the rapid rise in obesity over the past few decades, and there has been substantial progress toward identifying environmental and policy factors related to eating and physical activity that can point toward solutions. This article is a status report on research on physical activity and food environments, and it suggests how these findings can be used to improve diet and physical activity and to control or reduce obesity. Methods: This article summarizes and synthesizes recent reviews and provides examples of representative studies. It also describes ongoing innovative interventions and policy change efforts that were identified through conference presentations, media coverage, and websites. Findings: Numerous cross-sectional studies have consistently demonstrated that some attributes of built and food environments are associated with physical activity, healthful eating, and obesity. Residents of walkable neighborhoods who have good access to recreation facilities are more likely to be physically active and less likely to be overweight or obese. Residents of communities with ready access to healthy foods also tend to have more healthful diets. Disparities in environments and policies that disadvantage low-income communities and racial minorities have been documented as well. Evidence from multilevel studies, prospective research, and quasi-experimental evaluations of environmental changes are just beginning to emerge. Conclusions: Environment, policy, and multilevel strategies for improving diet, physical activity, and obesity control are recommended based on a rapidly growing body of research and the collective wisdom of leading expert organizations. A public health imperative to identify and implement solutions to the obesity epidemic warrants the use of the most promising strategies while continuing to build the evidence base.

693 citations


Cites background from "Walking to Public Transit: Steps to..."

  • ...Driving itself is an independent risk factor for obesity (Frank, Andresen, and Schmid 2004; Lopez-Zetina, Lee, and Friis 2006), whereas users of public transit are more likely to meet physical activity guidelines (Besser and Dannenberg 2005)....

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24 Jul 2009
TL;DR: The Common Community Measures for Obesity Prevention Project (the Measures Project) as mentioned in this paper identified and recommended a set of strategies and associated measurements that communities and local governments can use to plan and monitor environmental and policy-level changes for obesity prevention.
Abstract: Approximately two thirds of U.S. adults and one fifth of U.S. children are obese or overweight. During 1980--2004, obesity prevalence among U.S. adults doubled, and recent data indicate an estimated 33% of U.S. adults are overweight (body mass index [BMI] 25.0-29.9), 34% are obese (BMI >or=30.0), including nearly 6% who are extremely obese (BMI >or=40.0). The prevalence of being overweight among children and adolescents increased substantially during 1999-2004, and approximately 17% of U.S. children and adolescents are overweight (defined as at or above the 95% percentile of the sex-specific BMI for age growth charts). Being either obese or overweight increases the risk for many chronic diseases (e.g., heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and stroke). Reversing the U.S. obesity epidemic requires a comprehensive and coordinated approach that uses policy and environmental change to transform communities into places that support and promote healthy lifestyle choices for all U.S. residents. Environmental factors (including lack of access to full-service grocery stores, increasing costs of healthy foods and the lower cost of unhealthy foods, and lack of access to safe places to play and exercise) all contribute to the increase in obesity rates by inhibiting or preventing healthy eating and active living behaviors. Recommended strategies and appropriate measurements are needed to assess the effectiveness of community initiatives to create environments that promote good nutrition and physical activity. To help communities in this effort, CDC initiated the Common Community Measures for Obesity Prevention Project (the Measures Project). The objective of the Measures Project was to identify and recommend a set of strategies and associated measurements that communities and local governments can use to plan and monitor environmental and policy-level changes for obesity prevention. This report describes the expert panel process that was used to identify 24 recommended strategies for obesity prevention and a suggested measurement for each strategy that communities can use to assess performance and track progress over time. The 24 strategies are divided into six categories: 1) strategies to promote the availability of affordable healthy food and beverages), 2) strategies to support healthy food and beverage choices, 3) a strategy to encourage breastfeeding, 4) strategies to encourage physical activity or limit sedentary activity among children and youth, 5) strategies to create safe communities that support physical activity, and 6) a strategy to encourage communities to organize for change.

648 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It was concluded that living in walkable neighborhoods was associated with more physical activity and lower overweight/obesity but not with other benefits, and lower- and higher-income groups benefited similarly from living in high-walkability neighborhoods.

626 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
01 Feb 1995-JAMA
TL;DR: Every US adult should accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.
Abstract: Objective. —To encourage increased participation in physical activity among Americans of all ages by issuing a public health recommendation on the types and amounts of physical activity needed for health promotion and disease prevention. Participants. —A planning committee of five scientists was established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine to organize a workshop. This committee selected 15 other workshop discussants on the basis of their research expertise in issues related to the health implications of physical activity. Several relevant professional or scientific organizations and federal agencies also were represented. Evidence. —The panel of experts reviewed the pertinent physiological, epidemiologic, and clinical evidence, including primary research articles and recent review articles. Consensus Process. —Major issues related to physical activity and health were outlined, and selected members of the expert panel drafted sections of the paper from this outline. A draft manuscript was prepared by the planning committee and circulated to the full panel in advance of the 2-day workshop. During the workshop, each section of the manuscript was reviewed by the expert panel. Primary attention was given to achieving group consensus concerning the recommended types and amounts of physical activity. A concise "public health message" was developed to express the recommendations of the panel. During the ensuing months, the consensus statement was further reviewed and revised and was formally endorsed by both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine. Conclusion. —Every US adult should accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week. ( JAMA . 1995;273:402-407)

7,519 citations

Book
30 Aug 2004
TL;DR: This report is the first report of the Surgeon General on physical activity and health, and strong evidence is shown to indicate that regular physical activity will provide clear and substantial health gains.
Abstract: : This report is the first report of the Surgeon General on physical activity and health. For more than a century, the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service has focused the nation's attention on important public health issues. Reports from Surgeons General on the adverse health consequences of smoking triggered nationwide efforts to prevent tobacco use. Reports on nutrition, violence, and HIV/AlDS - to name but a few - have heightened America's awareness of important public health issues and have spawned major public health initiatives. This new report, which is a comprehensive review of the available scientific evidence about the relationship between physical activity and health status, follows in this notable tradition. Scientists and doctors have known for years that substantial benefits can be gained from regular physical activity. The expanding and strengthening evidence on the relationship between physical activity and health necessitates the focus this report brings to this important public health challenge. Although the science of physical activity is a complex and still-developing field, we have today strong evidence to indicate that regular physical activity will provide clear and substantial health gains. In this sense, the report is more than a summary of the science - it is a national call to action.

5,107 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
16 Aug 1995-JAMA
TL;DR: Further explanation is required of Dr Pate and colleagues' Figures 1 and 2 and the recommendation's contradiction with research that supports more vigorous activity, as well as their Figure 1, which shows a diminishing return in health benefit with increasing exercise level.
Abstract: To the Editor. —The Special Communication by Dr Pate and colleagues 1 provides an important message to sedentary adults. However, I believe that further explanation is required of their Figures 1 and 2 and the recommendation's contradiction with research that supports more vigorous activity. Their Figure 1 shows a diminishing return in health benefit with increasing exercise level. Measurement of the illustrated curvilinear plot shows a 12-fold greater health benefit from increasing physical activity status in sedentary individuals compared with physically active individuals. "Active" presumably means expending the caloric equivalent of walking 2 miles briskly most days of the week. It can mean no more than that for the horizontal x-axis to be linear, which is essential for the graph to have meaning. I am unaware of any data to support this substantial disparity in benefit. My own study of runners suggests that cardiovascular risk factors are improved as the

2,164 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Neighborhood environment was associated with physical activity and overweight prevalence and the reliability and validity of self-reported neighborhood environment subscales were supported.
Abstract: Objectives This study evaluated a neighborhood environment survey and compared the physical activity and weight status of the residents in 2 neighborhoods. Methods On 2 occasions, 107 adults from neighborhoods with differing "walkability" were selected to complete a survey on their neighborhood environment. Physical activity was assessed by self-report and by accelerometer; height and weight were assessed by self-report. Results Neighborhood environment characteristics had moderate to high test-retest reliabilities. Residents of high-walkability neighborhoods reported higher residential density, land use mix, street connectivity, aesthetics, and safety. They had more than 70 more minutes of physical activity and had lower obesity prevalence (adjusted for individual demographics) than did residents of low-walkability neighborhoods. Conclusions The reliability and validity of self-reported neighborhood environment subscales were supported. Neighborhood environment was associated with physical activity and overweight prevalence.

1,780 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: To provide more conclusive evidence, the available evidence lends itself to the argument that a combination of urban design, land use patterns, and transportation systems that promotes walking and bicycling will help create active, healthier, and more livable communities.

1,718 citations

Frequently Asked Questions (7)
Q1. What are the contributions in this paper?

Results from this study may contribute to health impact assessment studies ( HIA ) that evaluate the impact of proposed public transit systems on physical activity levels, and thereby may influence choices made by transportation planners. 

Improvements to the built environment, such as ncreased access to public transit, may provide a viable nd effective option to promote and maintain active ifestyles.he authors would like to thank Sandra Ham at the Centers or Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition nd Physical Activity for her comments and suggestions. 

22easons for more walking among low-income populaions could be that they are more likely to live in urban reas with better access to transit or are less likely to wn a personal automobile. 

This study also suggests that 29% of ransit walkers achieve 30 minutes of daily physical ctivity solely by walking to and from transit. 

For xample, results from this report are being used to stimate the amount of transit-related walking that ould result from a proposed 22-mile, urban light-rail oop in Atlanta.30 HIA studies may influence choices ade by transportation planners and other communityecision makers. 

People walking 30 minutes to and from transit were significantly ore likely to be African American, Hispanic, Asian/ acific Islander, or from another race/ethnic category han to be white, and were somewhat (borderline ignificant association) more likely to live in an area ith 4000 to 9999 people per square mile than in an rea with 4000 people per square mile (OR 1.63, 5% CI 0.99–2.68). 

This study rovides some evidence that walking to and from ransit can help physically inactive populations (espeially minority groups and people of lower socioecoomic status) attain 30 minutes of daily physical activty.