We need to promote safe walking habits in our communities
Walking is an important mode of active life styles of our communities
(1).The consultation document from the Health of the Nation physical
activity taskforce more than a decade ago concluded that activities of
moderate intensity, such as brisk walking and cycling, offer the greatest
potential of health gain for most of the population (2). The benefits of
physical activity for public health are widely accepted.
Many studies have shown that environmental modifications are
important to promote walking and the challenge now is to make policymakers
work for an environment that promotes walking (3). However, we have been
extremely slow to recognize the impact that decisions about transport,
land use and infrastructure have on health.
As there are many public health benefits of active life styles and
pedestrians safe walking rights should be promoted to increase the
pleasure, safety and likeness of walking in our neighborhoods. A recent
study explored the question why children don’t walk to school more often
and 40% of parents reported traffic danger among the multiple barriers
that inhibit walking and biking to school (4). If traffic danger continues
to propagate avoidance of walking and cycling among children, youth and
older citizens then the disease burden (with inactivity as a risk factor
for other diseases) will increase, and the total burden of disease will be
much larger than the WHO predicts in 2020 (5).
We need to advocate a systematic environmental approach to reduce
pedestrian injuries: complete separation of pedestrians and cyclists from
traffic and traffic calming in residential areas as well as provision of
safe outdoor areas in which people can be both independent and mobile.
Benefit of such measures could promote walking and cycling habits of our
communities.
REFERENCES:
(1). Ogilvie D, Foster CE, Rothnie H, Cavill N, Hamilton V,
Fitzsimons CF, et al; on behalf of the Scottish Physical Activity Research
Collaboration (SPARColl). Interventions to promote walking: systematic
review. BMJ 2007 doi: 10.1136/bmj.39198.722720.BE
(2). Physical Activity Task Force. The health of the nation. More
people, more active, more often: physical activity in England, a
consultation paper. London: Department of Health, 1995.
(3). Andersen, L. B. Physical activity and health. BMJ 2007; 334:
1173-1173
(4).Barriers to children walking and biking to school—United States.
MMWR 2002; 51(32); 701–4.
(5). Desapriya E.B., Pike I., Basic A., Subzwari S. Deterrent to
healthy lifestyles in our communities. Pediatrics. 2007; 119(5):1040-2
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests:
No competing interests
09 June 2007
Ediriweera Desapriya
Research Associate
S.Babul, S. Subzwari
Department of Pediatrics, Centre for Community Child Health Research 4480 Oak Street V6H 3V4
Rapid Response:
We need to promote safe walking habits in our communities
Walking is an important mode of active life styles of our communities
(1).The consultation document from the Health of the Nation physical
activity taskforce more than a decade ago concluded that activities of
moderate intensity, such as brisk walking and cycling, offer the greatest
potential of health gain for most of the population (2). The benefits of
physical activity for public health are widely accepted.
Many studies have shown that environmental modifications are
important to promote walking and the challenge now is to make policymakers
work for an environment that promotes walking (3). However, we have been
extremely slow to recognize the impact that decisions about transport,
land use and infrastructure have on health.
As there are many public health benefits of active life styles and
pedestrians safe walking rights should be promoted to increase the
pleasure, safety and likeness of walking in our neighborhoods. A recent
study explored the question why children don’t walk to school more often
and 40% of parents reported traffic danger among the multiple barriers
that inhibit walking and biking to school (4). If traffic danger continues
to propagate avoidance of walking and cycling among children, youth and
older citizens then the disease burden (with inactivity as a risk factor
for other diseases) will increase, and the total burden of disease will be
much larger than the WHO predicts in 2020 (5).
We need to advocate a systematic environmental approach to reduce
pedestrian injuries: complete separation of pedestrians and cyclists from
traffic and traffic calming in residential areas as well as provision of
safe outdoor areas in which people can be both independent and mobile.
Benefit of such measures could promote walking and cycling habits of our
communities.
REFERENCES:
(1). Ogilvie D, Foster CE, Rothnie H, Cavill N, Hamilton V,
Fitzsimons CF, et al; on behalf of the Scottish Physical Activity Research
Collaboration (SPARColl). Interventions to promote walking: systematic
review. BMJ 2007 doi: 10.1136/bmj.39198.722720.BE
(2). Physical Activity Task Force. The health of the nation. More
people, more active, more often: physical activity in England, a
consultation paper. London: Department of Health, 1995.
(3). Andersen, L. B. Physical activity and health. BMJ 2007; 334:
1173-1173
(4).Barriers to children walking and biking to school—United States.
MMWR 2002; 51(32); 701–4.
(5). Desapriya E.B., Pike I., Basic A., Subzwari S. Deterrent to
healthy lifestyles in our communities. Pediatrics. 2007; 119(5):1040-2
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests