ACTIVE TRANSPORT AND URBAN HEALTH A questionnaire to quantify the level of Physical Activity of Milano's citizenship
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Regular Physical Activity (PA) has significant benefits for public health. In urban areas, several studies demonstrate that Active Transport (AT) could help raising the level of daily PA, health benefits and... [ view full abstract ]
OBJECTIVES
Regular Physical Activity (PA) has significant benefits for public health. In urban areas, several studies demonstrate that Active Transport (AT) could help raising the level of daily PA, health benefits and population’s well-being. In this context, public policies in urban planning play a key role in making the built environment encouraging healthier lifestyles.
METHODS
Aim of the research was to assess the expected increase of PA as a result of improving pedestrian and cycle paths and the short-medium-long term impacts on lifestyles and population’s health status.
It has been distributed a questionnaire, specifically organized to collect data to be processed with the tool HEAT (WHO Regional Office for Europe) and for know the citizens’ habits regarding the current usage of bike and the potential increase.
RESULTS
The questionnaire has investigated various aspects, such as willingness to change habits in PA, different kinds in city daily transfers, utilization of bike sharing and evaluation of the existing cycle network’s satisfaction degree. The analysis was conducted in an area of Milan, administered for a period of 2 months on a sample of population between 20 and 65 years.
The collected data demonstrate that through the implementation of the cycle network, there would be more cyclists which carry out the 150 minutes weekly of PA recommended by WHO: time spent in AT shifts from 35,8% to 70,2%. Protective benefit on the risk of mortality for cyclists compared to non-cyclists increases from 3% to 6% (growing more of 50%).
CONCLUSIONS
Through the adoption of HEAT, it was also quantified the savings benefits of the National Health System resulting from the reduction of mortality related to increased AT. Progressively, the research developments could investigate other aspects like air-pollution, traffic, noise and further general actions for healthy lifestyles promotion as a vehicle of public health prevention.
Authors
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Maddalena Buffoli
(Politecnico di Milano)
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Lorenzo Boati
(Politecnico di Milano)
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Marco Gola
(Politecnico di Milano)
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Marta Dell'ovo
(Politecnico di Milano)
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andrea rebecchi
(Politecnico di Milano)
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Stefano Capolongo
(Politecnico di Milano)
Topic Areas
II. Environmental Health 2.1 Disease mapping 2.2 Assessment of the impact of environmental , IV. Behaviors 4.1 Mobilities and health 4.2 Spatial analysis of substance abuse and treatm , II. Urban Health at the intersection of urban environment, social determinants and places
Session
UH-BE-O-03 » Urban Health - Behaviors - 03 (14:00 - Saturday, 2nd April, TBA)
Paper
ACTIVE_TRANSPORT_AND_URBAN_HEALTH.doc
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