Take Transit, Stay Healthier

It is commonly understood that almost every transit trip  starts as a walking trip. With that in mind, it seems logical that those who take transit are more likely to walk more than those who don’t. It is also commonly understood that those who walk more, are healthier. So if I remember my 8th grade math correctly (which I probably don’t), the transitive property would state that public transit users are healthier than non-transit users.

Mathematics aside, a recent study from the University of British Columbia states that such an assumption is not only true, but that transit users are three times more likely to meet basic fitness guidelines than those who don’t.

According to the study, people who drove the most were the least likely to meet the recommended level of physical activity.

“The idea of needing to go to the gym to get your daily dose of exercise is a misperception,” says Frank, the J. Armand Bombardier Chairholder in Sustainable Transportation and a researcher at the UBC Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability. “These short walks throughout our day are historically how we have gotten our activity. Unfortunately, we’ve engineered this activity out of our daily lives.”

Sounds like common sense, doesn’t it?  Frank goes on to say:

“You don’t necessarily have to rebuild communities or make major investments in infrastructure to promote public health,” he says. “There are things we can do in the interim, such as encourage people to drive less, and adapt their lifestyles which will get people more physically active and generate fewer greenhouse gasses.”

Related posts:

1. High Gas Prices = Safer, Healthier, More Urban America
2. Social Media: Here to Stay
3. Use Transit for Business Success
4. Gas & Public Transit
5. Reflections On The Second Transit Summit