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Xia QF, Qin GY, Liu Q, Hu YZ. Green space exposure and Chinese residents' physical activity participation: empirical evidence from a health geography perspective. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1430706. [PMID: 38932784 PMCID: PMC11199775 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1430706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Background With continuous efforts made to promote the strategic goals of carbon neutrality and carbon peak, it is crucial to meet the growing and diversified needs of the public for fitness by practicing the concept of green development and promote the combination of national fitness and ecological civilization. Methods To achieve this purpose, an OLS regression model was applied to estimate the role of green space exposure in Chinese residents' participation in physical activity and its underlying mechanisms, using the microdata from the China General Social Survey (CGSS) data and the Provincial Vegetation Cover Index (NDVI) matched macrostatistical data. Results The empirical results show that green space exposure significantly increases the probability of residents' physical activity participation, and creating a green environment is conducive to creating a favorable physical activity environment for residents. Also, the core conclusions still hold after the year-by-year regression test is passed and the endogeneity problem is addressed. As revealed by mechanistic studies, green space exposure has indirect effects on the physical activity participation of residents through the independent mediating roles of reducing carbon emissions and promoting social interaction. According to heterogeneity results, males, those in marriage, and urban dweller groups are more inclined to perform physical activity in green spaces. Conclusion The results show that the exposure of green space can help increase the probability of residents' participation in physical exercise, and can that it achieved through two channels: reducing carbon emissions and enhancing social interaction. It is necessary to further strengthen the protection of the ecological lifestyle, give full play to the advantages of greenness and low-carbon, and create favorable conditions for the green development of a new model of national fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-fei Xia
- Institute of Sports Training, Xi'an Institute of Physical Education, Xi'an, China
| | - Guo-you Qin
- College of Physical Education, Hanjiang Normal University, Shiyan, China
| | - Qi Liu
- College of Physical Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yun-zhou Hu
- School of Athletic Performance, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
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Bai S, Zhou J, Yang M, Yang Z, Cui Y. Under the different sectors: the relationship between low-carbon economic development, health and GDP. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1181623. [PMID: 37546329 PMCID: PMC10398341 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1181623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Developing a modern low-carbon economy while protecting health is not only a current trend but also an urgent problem that needs to be solved. The growth of the national low-carbon economy is closely related to various sectors; however, it remains unclear how the development of low-carbon economies in these sectors impacts the national economy and the health of residents. Using panel data on carbon emissions and resident health in 28 province-level regions in China, this study employs unit root tests, co-integration tests, and regression analysis to empirically examine the relationship between carbon emissions, low-carbon economic development, health, and GDP in industry, construction, and transportation. The results show that: First, China's carbon emissions can promote economic development. Second, low-carbon economic development can enhance resident health while improving GDP. Third, low-carbon economic development has a significant positive effect on GDP and resident health in the industrial and transportation sector, but not in the construction sector, and the level of industrial development and carbon emission sources are significant factors contributing to the inconsistency. Our findings complement existing insights into the coupling effect of carbon emissions and economic development across sectors. They can assist policymakers in tailoring low-carbon policies to specific sectors, formulating strategies to optimize energy consumption structures, improving green technology levels, and aiding enterprises in gradually reducing carbon emissions without sacrificing economic benefits, thus achieving low-carbon economic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shizhen Bai
- School of Management, Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin, China
| | - Jiamin Zhou
- School of Management, Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin, China
| | - Mu Yang
- Department of Management, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Zaoli Yang
- College of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Yongmei Cui
- School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China
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Liu M, Ying Q. The role of online news sentiment in carbon price prediction of China's carbon markets. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:41379-41387. [PMID: 36627425 PMCID: PMC9838308 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-25197-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Carbon trading as a vital tool to reduce carbon dioxide emissions has developed rapidly in recent years. Reasonable prediction of the carbon price can improve the risk management in the carbon trading market and make healthy development of the carbon trading market. This paper aims to enhance the predictive performance of carbon price in the China's carbon markets, especially the China's national carbon market, by adding the online news sentiment index which is a kind of unconstructed data, to a deep learning model using traditionally constructed predictors innovatively. Long short-term memory (LSTM) network was applied as the primary model to predict carbon price and random forest as the additional experiment to validate the effectiveness of online news sentiment. The results in the China's national carbon market and Hubei pilot carbon market both proved that the model including the sentiment index performed better than the model does not, and the improvement was significant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muyan Liu
- Business School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, Sichuan, China.
| | - Qianwei Ying
- Business School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, Sichuan, China
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Abstract
Multiple global environmental changes (GECs) now under way, including climate change, biodiversity loss, freshwater depletion, tropical deforestation, overexploitation of fisheries, ocean acidification, and soil degradation, have substantial, but still imperfectly understood, implications for human health. Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) make a major contribution to the global burden of disease. Many of the driving forces responsible for GEC also influence NCD risk through a range of mechanisms. This article provides an overview of pathways linking GEC and NCDs, focusing on five pathways: ( a) energy, air pollution, and climate change; ( b) urbanization; ( c) food, nutrition, and agriculture; ( d) the deposition of persistent chemicals in the environment; and ( e) biodiversity loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard Frumkin
- Our Planet, Our Health Program, Wellcome Trust, London NW1 2BE, United Kingdom;
| | - Andy Haines
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society and Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, United Kingdom;
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An R, Ji M, Zhang S. Global warming and obesity: a systematic review. Obes Rev 2018; 19:150-163. [PMID: 28977817 DOI: 10.1111/obr.12624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Revised: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Global warming and the obesity epidemic are two unprecedented challenges mankind faces today. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO and Scopus for articles published until July 2017 that reported findings on the relationship between global warming and the obesity epidemic. Fifty studies were identified. Topic-wise, articles were classified into four relationships - global warming and the obesity epidemic are correlated because of common drivers (n = 21); global warming influences the obesity epidemic (n = 13); the obesity epidemic influences global warming (n = 13); and global warming and the obesity epidemic influence each other (n = 3). We constructed a conceptual model linking global warming and the obesity epidemic - the fossil fuel economy, population growth and industrialization impact land use and urbanization, motorized transportation and agricultural productivity and consequently influences global warming by excess greenhouse gas emission and the obesity epidemic by nutrition transition and physical inactivity; global warming also directly impacts obesity by food supply/price shock and adaptive thermogenesis, and the obesity epidemic impacts global warming by the elevated energy consumption. Policies that endorse deployment of clean and sustainable energy sources, and urban designs that promote active lifestyles, are likely to alleviate the societal burden of global warming and obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- R An
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - M Ji
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - S Zhang
- School of Sports Journalism and Foreign Studies, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
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Götschi T, de Nazelle A, Brand C, Gerike R. Towards a Comprehensive Conceptual Framework of Active Travel Behavior: a Review and Synthesis of Published Frameworks. Curr Environ Health Rep 2017; 4:286-295. [PMID: 28707281 PMCID: PMC5591356 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-017-0149-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This paper reviews the use of conceptual frameworks in research on active travel, such as walking and cycling. Generic framework features and a wide range of contents are identified and synthesized into a comprehensive framework of active travel behavior, as part of the Physical Activity through Sustainable Transport Approaches project (PASTA). PASTA is a European multinational, interdisciplinary research project on active travel and health. RECENT FINDINGS Along with an exponential growth in active travel research, a growing number of conceptual frameworks has been published since the early 2000s. Earlier frameworks are simpler and emphasize the distinction of environmental vs. individual factors, while more recently several studies have integrated travel behavior theories more thoroughly. Based on the reviewed frameworks and various behavioral theories, we propose the comprehensive PASTA conceptual framework of active travel behavior. We discuss how it can guide future research, such as data collection, data analysis, and modeling of active travel behavior, and present some examples from the PASTA project.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Götschi
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Audrey de Nazelle
- Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Regine Gerike
- Institute of Transport Planning and Road Traffic, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Traveling by automobile rather than walking or cycling can encourage obesity by eliminating physical activity. As national obesity rates in the USA have reached 37.9% in 2014, understanding the connections between obesity and transportation choices can help policymakers in the public health community propose effective obesity interventions at the national level. RECENT FINDINGS Following from foundational studies examining associations between the built environment and leisure walking, recent studies consider a diverse set of transportation choices regarding mode (e.g., automobile, walking, public transit) and purpose (e.g., commuting, leisure), along with studies on the effectiveness of several transportation-related interventions for obesity. The reviewed studies point toward potential interventions for obesity; there is emerging evidence that commuting by public transit may be one such intervention. Moreover, new data-gathering tools such as global positioning systems, geographic information systems, and accelerometers may alleviate statistical obstacles in conducting future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas M King
- Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 117 Transportation Building, 104 S. Mathews Avenue, MC-238, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
| | - Sheldon H Jacobson
- Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 201 North Goodwin Avenue, MC-258, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
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Scheepers C, Wendel-Vos G, van Wesemael P, den Hertog F, Stipdonk H, Int Panis L, van Kempen E, Schuit A. Perceived health status associated with transport choice for short distance trips. Prev Med Rep 2016; 2:839-44. [PMID: 26844158 PMCID: PMC4721281 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2015.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This study examines the association between active transport and perceived general health, perceived psychological wellbeing and a healthy body weight in the Netherlands. Methods Data were collected by an online questionnaire (N = 3663) in the Netherlands. Data collection was conducted over a period of one calendar year starting July 2012. Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the association between choice of transport mode (bicycling vs car use and walking vs car use) and perceived general health, perceived psychological wellbeing and having a healthy weight respectively. The presented OR's may be interpreted as the likelihood of an average person in our dataset to have a better perceived health or body weight when choosing active transport (either bicycling or walking) over using the car for trips up to 7.5 km. Results Cycling was found to be significantly associated with a better perceived general health (OR = 1.35, 95%CI:1.07–1.70) and having a healthy body weight (OR = 1.52, 95%CI:1.28–1.79), but not with a better perceived psychological wellbeing (OR = 1.12, 95%CI:0.93–1.34). Walking was found to be significantly associated with having a healthy body weight (OR = 1.35, 95%CI:1.09–1.69), but not with a better perceived general (OR = 1.12, 95%CI:0.84–1.51) or psychological wellbeing (OR = 0.85, 95%CI:0.67–1.08). Conclusion Our results suggest that active transport use has been associated with a better perceived general health and a healthy body weight. However, more research is needed to be able to elucidate which factors cause this better health. No associations were observed between transport choice and perceived psychological wellbeing. Active transport users experience a better perceived general health. Active transport users are more likely to have a healthy body weight. No association between transport choice and perceived psychological wellbeing in The Netherlands
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Affiliation(s)
- C.E. Scheepers
- VU University Amsterdam, Department of Health Sciences and EMGO institute for Health and Care Research, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, the Netherlands
- Corresponding author at: Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, the Netherlands. Fax: + 31 30 274 4407.Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health ServicesNational Institute for Public Health and the EnvironmentPO Box 1Bilthoven3720 BAthe Netherlands
| | - G.C.W. Wendel-Vos
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - P.J.V. van Wesemael
- Technical University Eindhoven, Department of the Built Environment, 5600 MB Eindhoven, the Netherlands
| | - F.R.J. den Hertog
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre of Health and Society, 3720 BA Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - H.L. Stipdonk
- SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research, PO box 93113, 2509 AC Den Haag, the Netherlands
| | - L.L.R. Int Panis
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), PHaRE, Mobile Health Unit, 2400 Mol, Belgium
- School for Mobility, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - E.E.M.M. van Kempen
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Sustainability, Environment and Health, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - A.J. Schuit
- VU University Amsterdam, Department of Health Sciences and EMGO institute for Health and Care Research, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, the Netherlands
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9
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Gerike R, de Nazelle A, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Panis LI, Anaya E, Avila-Palencia I, Boschetti F, Brand C, Cole-Hunter T, Dons E, Eriksson U, Gaupp-Berghausen M, Kahlmeier S, Laeremans M, Mueller N, Orjuela JP, Racioppi F, Raser E, Rojas-Rueda D, Schweizer C, Standaert A, Uhlmann T, Wegener S, Götschi T. Physical Activity through Sustainable Transport Approaches (PASTA): a study protocol for a multicentre project. BMJ Open 2016; 6:e009924. [PMID: 26743706 PMCID: PMC4716182 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Only one-third of the European population meets the minimum recommended levels of physical activity (PA). Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases. Walking and cycling for transport (active mobility, AM) are well suited to provide regular PA. The European research project Physical Activity through Sustainable Transport Approaches (PASTA) pursues the following aims: (1) to investigate correlates and interrelations of AM, PA, air pollution and crash risk; (2) to evaluate the effectiveness of selected interventions to promote AM; (3) to improve health impact assessment (HIA) of AM; (4) to foster the exchange between the disciplines of public health and transport planning, and between research and practice. METHODS AND ANALYSIS PASTA pursues a mixed-method and multilevel approach that is consistently applied in seven case study cities. Determinants of AM and the evaluation of measures to increase AM are investigated through a large scale longitudinal survey, with overall 14,000 respondents participating in Antwerp, Barcelona, London, Örebro, Rome, Vienna and Zurich. Contextual factors are systematically gathered in each city. PASTA generates empirical findings to improve HIA for AM, for example, with estimates of crash risks, factors on AM-PA substitution and carbon emissions savings from mode shifts. Findings from PASTA will inform WHO's online Health Economic Assessment Tool on the health benefits from cycling and/or walking. The study's wide scope, the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods and health and transport methods, the innovative survey design, the general and city-specific analyses, and the transdisciplinary composition of the consortium and the wider network of partners promise highly relevant insights for research and practice. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethics approval has been obtained by the local ethics committees in the countries where the work is being conducted, and sent to the European Commission before the start of the survey. The PASTA website (http://www.pastaproject.eu) is at the core of all communication and dissemination activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regine Gerike
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute for Transport Studies, Vienna, Austria
- Dresden University of Technology, Chair of Integrated Transport Planning and Traffic Engineering, Dresden, Germany
| | - Audrey de Nazelle
- Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Mark Nieuwenhuijsen
- Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Luc Int Panis
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
- Transportation Research Institute (IMOB), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Esther Anaya
- Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ione Avila-Palencia
- Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Christian Brand
- Transport Studies Unit, University of Oxford (UOXF), Oxford, UK
| | - Tom Cole-Hunter
- Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Evi Dons
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | | | - Mailin Gaupp-Berghausen
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute for Transport Studies, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sonja Kahlmeier
- Physical Activity and Health Unit, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michelle Laeremans
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
- Transportation Research Institute (IMOB), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Natalie Mueller
- Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Francesca Racioppi
- World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Elisabeth Raser
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute for Transport Studies, Vienna, Austria
| | - David Rojas-Rueda
- Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Christian Schweizer
- World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Arnout Standaert
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - Tina Uhlmann
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute for Transport Studies, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sandra Wegener
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute for Transport Studies, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Götschi
- Physical Activity and Health Unit, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Whitmee S, Haines A, Beyrer C, Boltz F, Capon AG, de Souza Dias BF, Ezeh A, Frumkin H, Gong P, Head P, Horton R, Mace GM, Marten R, Myers SS, Nishtar S, Osofsky SA, Pattanayak SK, Pongsiri MJ, Romanelli C, Soucat A, Vega J, Yach D. Safeguarding human health in the Anthropocene epoch: report of The Rockefeller Foundation-Lancet Commission on planetary health. Lancet 2015; 386:1973-2028. [PMID: 26188744 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(15)60901-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 992] [Impact Index Per Article: 110.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Whitmee
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Andy Haines
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Chris Beyrer
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Anthony G Capon
- International Institute for Global Health, United Nations University, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Alex Ezeh
- African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Howard Frumkin
- School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Peng Gong
- Center for Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Peter Head
- The Ecological Sequestration Trust, London, UK
| | | | - Georgina M Mace
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Robert Marten
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK; The Rockefeller Foundation, New York, NY, USA
| | - Samuel S Myers
- Center for the Environment, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | | | | | - Subhrendu K Pattanayak
- Sanford School of Public Policy and Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jeanette Vega
- The National Chilean Public Health Insurance Agency, Santiago, Chile
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A Scoping Review of Observational Studies Examining Relationships between Environmental Behaviors and Health Behaviors. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2015; 12:4833-58. [PMID: 25950651 PMCID: PMC4454941 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph120504833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2015] [Revised: 04/20/2015] [Accepted: 04/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Individual lifestyles are key drivers of both environmental change and chronic disease. We undertook a scoping review of peer-reviewed studies which examined associations between environmental and health behaviors of individuals in high-income countries. We searched EconLit, Medline, BIOSIS and the Social Science Citation Index. A total of 136 studies were included. The majority were USA-based cross-sectional studies using self-reported measures. Most of the evidence related to travel behavior, particularly active travel (walking and cycling) and physical activity (92 studies) or sedentary behaviors (19 studies). Associations of public transport use with physical activity were examined in 18 studies, and with sedentary behavior in one study. Four studies examined associations between car use and physical activity. A small number included other environmental behaviors (food-related behaviors (n = 14), including organic food, locally-sourced food and plate waste) and other health behaviors ((n = 20) smoking, dietary intake, alcohol). These results suggest that research on individual environmental and health behaviors consists largely of studies examining associations between travel mode and levels of physical activity. There appears to be less research on associations between other behaviors with environmental and health impacts, and very few longitudinal studies in any domain.
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Paez DC, Gomez LF, Mallarino C, Arango CM, Flórez A, Nylander A, Parra DC. Associations between time spent traveling in motor vehicles and physical activity in Colombian adults from urban areas. CAD SAUDE PUBLICA 2014; 30:2320-2330. [PMID: 25493986 DOI: 10.1590/0102-311x00197513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2013] [Accepted: 04/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sedentary behaviors are associated with less physical activity. Little evidence exists about this association and its relation with commuting time in Latin America. This study examined the association between time spent traveling in motor vehicles and physical activity levels in the domains of leisure time physical activity and transportation, among Colombian adults in urban areas. A secondary data analysis of the 2010 National Nutrition Survey was conducted. Time spent traveling in motor vehicles and physical activity were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Binary logistic regressions were conducted. Time spent traveling in motor vehicles for 120 minutes or more was reported among 27.6% of the sample. The prevalence of walking and bicycling as a means of transportation for at least 150 minutes per week was 34% and 4.4%, respectively. Achieving at least 150 minutes of leisure time physical activity a week was reported by 18.4% of the sample. This study suggests negative associations between time spent traveling in motor vehicles and active transport, with significant trend associations in stratified analyses. No significant associations were found between time spent traveling in motor vehicles and leisure time physical activity.
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13
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Brand C, Goodman A, Ogilvie D. Evaluating the impacts of new walking and cycling infrastructure on carbon dioxide emissions from motorized travel: a controlled longitudinal study. APPLIED ENERGY 2014; 128:284-295. [PMID: 26435570 PMCID: PMC4591464 DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2014.04.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Walking and cycling is widely assumed to substitute for at least some motorized travel and thereby reduce energy use and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. While the evidence suggests that a supportive built environment may be needed to promote walking and cycling, it is unclear whether and how interventions in the built environment that attract walkers and cyclists may reduce transport CO2 emissions. Our aim was therefore to evaluate the effects of providing new infrastructure for walking and cycling on CO2 emissions from motorised travel. A cohort of 1849 adults completed questionnaires at baseline (2010) and one-year follow-up (2011), before and after the construction of new high-quality routes provided as part of the Sustrans Connect2 programme in three UK municipalities. A second cohort of 1510 adults completed questionnaires at baseline and two-year follow-up (2012). The participants reported their past-week travel behaviour and car characteristics from which CO2 emissions by mode and purpose were derived using methods described previously. A set of exposure measures of proximity to and use of the new routes were derived. Overall transport CO2 emissions decreased slightly over the study period, consistent with a secular trend in the case study regions. As found previously the new infrastructure was well used at one- and two-year follow-up, and was associated with population-level increases in walking, cycling and physical activity at two-year follow-up. However, these effects did not translate into sizeable CO2 effects as neither living near the infrastructure nor using it predicted changes in CO2 emissions from motorised travel, either overall or disaggregated by journey purpose. This lack of a discernible effect on travel CO2 emissions are consistent with an interpretation that some of those living nearer the infrastructure may simply have changed where they walked or cycled, while others may have walked or cycled more but few, if any, may have substituted active for motorised modes of travel as a result of the interventions. While the findings to date cannot exclude the possibility of small effects of the new routes on CO2 emissions, a more comprehensive approach of a higher 'dosage' of active travel promotion linked with policies targeted at mode shift away from private motorized transport (such as urban car restraint and parking pricing, car sharing/pooling for travel to work, integrating bike sharing into public transport system) may be needed to achieve the substantial CO2 savings needed to meet climate change mitigation and energy security goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Brand
- Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Goodman
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK ()
| | - David Ogilvie
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit and UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK ()
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Goodman A, Sahlqvist S, Ogilvie D. New walking and cycling routes and increased physical activity: one- and 2-year findings from the UK iConnect Study. Am J Public Health 2014; 104:e38-46. [PMID: 25033133 PMCID: PMC4151955 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2014.302059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We evaluated the effects of providing new high-quality, traffic-free routes for walking and cycling on overall levels of walking, cycling, and physical activity. METHODS 1796 adult residents in 3 UK municipalities completed postal questionnaires at baseline (2010) and 1-year follow-up (2011), after the construction of the new infrastructure. 1465 adults completed questionnaires at baseline and 2-year follow-up (2012). Transport network distance from home to infrastructure defined intervention exposure and provided a basis for controlled comparisons. RESULTS Living nearer the infrastructure did not predict changes in activity levels at 1-year follow-up but did predict increases in activity at 2 years relative to those living farther away (15.3 additional minutes/week walking and cycling per km nearer; 12.5 additional minutes/week of total physical activity). The effects were larger among participants with no car. CONCLUSIONS These new local routes may mainly have displaced walking or cycling trips in the short term but generated new trips in the longer term, particularly among those unable to access more distant destinations by car. These findings support the potential for walking and cycling infrastructure to promote physical activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Goodman
- Anna Goodman, Shannon Sahlqvist, and David Ogilvie are with the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit and the UK Clinical Research Collaboration Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. Anna Goodman is also with the Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. Shannon Sahlqvist is also with the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
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Sahlqvist S, Goodman A, Simmons RK, Khaw KT, Cavill N, Foster C, Luben R, Wareham NJ, Ogilvie D. The association of cycling with all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality: findings from the population-based EPIC-Norfolk cohort. BMJ Open 2013; 3:e003797. [PMID: 24231462 PMCID: PMC3831097 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-003797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate associations between modest levels of total and domain-specific (commuting, other utility, recreational) cycling and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. DESIGN Population-based cohort study (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study-Norfolk). SETTING Participants were recruited from general practices in the east of England and attended health examinations between 1993 and 1997 and again between 1998 and 2000. At the first health assessment, participants reported their average weekly duration of cycling for all purposes using a simple measure of physical activity. At the second health assessment, participants reported a more detailed breakdown of their weekly cycling behaviour using the EPAQ2 physical activity questionnaire. PARTICIPANTS Adults aged 40-79 years at the first health assessment. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE All participants were followed for mortality (all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer) until March 2011. RESULTS There were 22 450 participants with complete data at the first health assessment, of whom 4398 died during follow-up; and 13 346 participants with complete data at the second health assessment, of whom 1670 died during follow-up. Preliminary analyses using exposure data from the first health assessment showed that cycling for at least 60 min/week in total was associated with a 9% reduced risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.84 to 0.99). Using the more precise measures of cycling available from the second health assessment, all types of cycling were associated with greater total moderate-to-vigorous physical activity; however, there was little evidence of an association between overall or domain-specific cycling and mortality. CONCLUSIONS Cycling, in particular for utility purposes, was associated with greater moderate-to-vigorous and total physical activity. While this study provides tentative evidence that modest levels of cycling may reduce the risk of mortality, further research is required to confirm how much cycling is sufficient to induce health benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon Sahlqvist
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research (C-PAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Anna Goodman
- UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Rebecca K Simmons
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kay-Tee Khaw
- Department of Gerontology in Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nick Cavill
- Cavill Associates, Stockport, UK
- British Heart Foundation Health Promotion Research Group, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Charlie Foster
- British Heart Foundation Health Promotion Research Group, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Robert Luben
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nicholas J Wareham
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - David Ogilvie
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Goodman A, Sahlqvist S, Ogilvie D. Who uses new walking and cycling infrastructure and how? Longitudinal results from the UK iConnect study. Prev Med 2013; 57:518-24. [PMID: 23859933 PMCID: PMC3807875 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2013] [Revised: 07/02/2013] [Accepted: 07/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine how adults use new local walking and cycling routes, and what characteristics predict use. METHODS 1849 adults completed questionnaires in 2010 and 2011, before and after the construction of walking and cycling infrastructure in three UK municipalities. 1510 adults completed questionnaires in 2010 and 2012. The 2010 questionnaire measured baseline characteristics; the follow-up questionnaires captured infrastructure use. RESULTS 32% of participants reported using the new infrastructure in 2011, and 38% in 2012. Walking for recreation was by far the most common use. In both follow-up waves, use was independently predicted by higher baseline walking and cycling (e.g. 2012 adjusted rate ratio 2.09 (95% CI 1.55, 2.81) for >450 min/week vs. none). Moreover, there was strong specificity by mode and purpose, e.g. baseline walking for recreation specifically predicted walking for recreation on the infrastructure. Other independent predictors included living near the infrastructure, better general health and higher education or income. CONCLUSIONS The new infrastructure was well-used by local adults, and this was sustained over two years. Thus far, however, the infrastructure may primarily have attracted existing walkers and cyclists, and may have catered more to the socio-economically advantaged. This may limit its impacts on population health and health equity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Goodman
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit and UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge, Box 296, Institute of Public Health, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0SR, UK; Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK.
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Effectiveness and equity impacts of town-wide cycling initiatives in England: a longitudinal, controlled natural experimental study. Soc Sci Med 2013; 97:228-37. [PMID: 24075196 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2013] [Revised: 08/19/2013] [Accepted: 08/21/2013] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Cycling confers health and environmental benefits, but few robust studies have evaluated large-scale programmes to promote cycling. In England, recent years have seen substantial, town-wide cycling initiatives in six Cycling Demonstration Towns (funded 2005-2011) and 12 Cycling Cities and Towns (funded 2008-2011). The initiatives involved mixtures of capital investment (e.g. cycle lanes) and revenue investment (e.g. cycle training), tailored to each town. This controlled before-after natural experimental study used English census data to examine impacts on the prevalence of travelling to work by bicycle and other modes, comparing changes in the intervention towns with changes in three comparison groups (matched towns, unfunded towns and a national comparison group). We also compared effects between more and less deprived areas, and used random-effects meta-analysis to compare intervention effects between towns. Among 1.3 million commuters in 18 intervention towns, we found that the prevalence of cycling to work rose from 5.8% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011. This represented a significant increase relative to all three comparison groups (e.g. +0.69 (95% CI 0.60,0.77) percentage points for intervention vs. matched towns). Walking to work also increased significantly compared with comparison towns, while driving to work decreased and public transport use was unchanged. These effects were observed across all fifths of area deprivation, with larger relative changes in deprived areas. There was substantial variation in effect sizes between towns, however, and the average town-level effect on cycling was non-significant (+0.29 (-0.26,0.84) percentage points for intervention vs. matched towns). We conclude that to date, cycling to work has increased (and driving to work decreased) in the intervention towns, in a relatively equitable manner. The variation in effects between towns indicates uncertainty regarding the likely impact of comparable investment in future towns. Nevertheless these results support the case for implementing and evaluating further town-wide cycling initiatives.
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Goodman A. Walking, cycling and driving to work in the English and Welsh 2011 census: trends, socio-economic patterning and relevance to travel behaviour in general. PLoS One 2013; 8:e71790. [PMID: 23990990 PMCID: PMC3749195 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2013] [Accepted: 07/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Increasing walking and cycling, and reducing motorised transport, are health and environmental priorities. This paper examines levels and trends in the use of different commute modes in England and Wales, both overall and with respect to small-area deprivation. It also investigates whether commute modal share can serve as a proxy for travel behaviour more generally. METHODS 23.7 million adult commuters reported their usual main mode of travelling to work in the 2011 census in England and Wales; similar data were available for 1971-2001. Indices of Multiple Deprivation were used to characterise socio-economic patterning. The National Travel Survey (2002-2010) was used to examine correlations between commute modal share and modal share of total travel time. These correlations were calculated across 150 non-overlapping populations defined by region, year band and income. RESULTS Among commuters in 2011, 67.1% used private motorised transport as their usual main commute mode (-1.8 percentage-point change since 2001); 17.8% used public transport (+1.8% change); 10.9% walked (-0.1% change); and 3.1% cycled (+0.1% change). Walking and, to a marginal extent, cycling were more common among those from deprived areas, but these gradients had flattened over the previous decade to the point of having essentially disappeared for cycling. In the National Travel Survey, commute modal share and total modal share were reasonably highly correlated for private motorised transport (r = 0.94), public transport (r = 0.96), walking (r = 0.88 excluding London) and cycling (r = 0.77). CONCLUSIONS England and Wales remain car-dependent, but the trends are slightly more encouraging. Unlike many health behaviours, it is more common for socio-economically disadvantaged groups to commute using physically active modes. This association is, however, weakening and may soon reverse for cycling. At a population level, commute modal share provides a reasonable proxy for broader travel patterns, enhancing the value of the census in characterising background trends and evaluating interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Goodman
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Adams EJ, Goodman A, Sahlqvist S, Bull FC, Ogilvie D. Correlates of walking and cycling for transport and recreation: factor structure, reliability and behavioural associations of the perceptions of the environment in the neighbourhood scale (PENS). Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2013; 10:87. [PMID: 23815872 PMCID: PMC3702387 DOI: 10.1186/1479-5868-10-87] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2012] [Accepted: 06/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Emerging evidence suggests that walking and cycling for different purposes such as transport or recreation may be associated with different attributes of the physical environment. Few studies to date have examined these behaviour-specific associations, particularly in the UK. This paper reports on the development, factor structure and test-retest reliability of a new scale assessing perceptions of the environment in the neighbourhood (PENS) and the associations between perceptions of the environment and walking and cycling for transport and recreation. Methods A new 13-item scale was developed for assessing adults’ perceptions of the environment in the neighbourhood (PENS). Three sets of analyses were conducted using data from two sources. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to identify a set of summary environmental variables using data from the iConnect baseline survey (n = 3494); test-retest reliability of the individual and summary environmental items was established using data collected in a separate reliability study (n = 166); and multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the associations of the environmental variables with walking for transport, walking for recreation, cycling for transport and cycling for recreation, using iConnect baseline survey data (n = 2937). Results Four summary environmental variables (traffic safety, supportive infrastructure, availability of local amenities and social order), one individual environmental item (street connectivity) and a variable encapsulating general environment quality were identified for use in further analyses. Intraclass correlations of these environmental variables ranged from 0.44 to 0.77 and were comparable to those seen in other similar scales. After adjustment for demographic and other environmental factors, walking for transport was associated with supportive infrastructure, availability of local amenities and general environment quality; walking for recreation was associated with supportive infrastructure; and cycling for transport was associated only with street connectivity. There was limited evidence of any associations between environmental attributes and cycling for recreation. Conclusion PENS is acceptable as a short instrument for assessing perceptions of the urban environment. Previous findings that different attributes of the environment may be associated with different behaviours are confirmed. Policy action to create supportive environments may require a combination of environmental improvements to promote walking and cycling for different purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma J Adams
- British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity and Health, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK.
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