Transcript How does transportation affect community health

The Health Benefits
of Active
Transportation
Do city
planners
have more
power than
doctors over
health?
Outline
Air pollution
 Global warming
 Obesity ***

Even if you don’t smell or see it, air
pollution from cars has an impact in
your community.
Health Effects of Air Pollution
Asthma - Asthma rates have at least
doubled in the last few decades to ~10%
in adults, even higher for kids
 Cardiovascular disease – increased in both
long and short-term exposure
 Chronic lung disease (COPD) increased

Put another way

For 2003 in Ontario, the OMA estimates
2,060 premature deaths, 48,690
emergency room visits, $465.2 million in
direct health care (hospital) costs, and
$585.6 million in lost productivity costs
due to air pollution
Are we already too late to stop global warming?
With a population of less than 30 million, we use as much energy as the
entire continent of Africa
Our car use may account for up to 60% of our personal contribution to
global warming.
Health Effects of Global Warming
New infectious diseases in new
populations
Indirect effect
 Food production issues
 Human displacement
 Decreased access to clean water

The Obesity Epidemic
Almost 60% of Canadians are now
overweight (BMI 25-30), a huge increase
over several decades
 In CB, about 2/3 are obese (BMI over 30)
or overweight
 Obesity Rates in 7-13 yr olds tripled 81-96
 And I could go on and on

Obesity isn’t all it’s cracked up to
be
Diabetics – 15X higher ovrwt, 40X if obese
 Arthritis – 4X higher obese
 Hypertension – 75% of HTN is wt related
 Heart disease – 3-5X increase
 Cancers – kidney, endometrial, breast, prostate, ?colon
 Stroke – 2-3X increase
 Kidney failure - 2X ovrwt, 4-7X if obese

SICK CARE
Is not the same as Health Care
Medical Solutions to Obesity
Educate RE diet and activity – “you should
watch your diet and exercise more”
 Drugs
 Surgery


Focus is on TREATMENT, not prevention
Obesity is a
SYMPTOM, not
a disease
How do we stop the
obesity trend?
Education programs have been ineffective
 Temporary effects
 “go to the gym” – high attrition
Sport programs have been ineffective
 Expense, time for parents
 High attrition for adults, some sports
“unsuitable” for lifelong exercise
Health Promotion

Lifestyle change can be facilitated through
a combination of efforts to enhance
awareness, change behaviour and create
environments that support good health
practices. Of the three, supportive
environments will probably have
the greatest impact in producing
lasting change". (American Journal of
Health Promotion, 1989,3,3,5)
Change the
Environment,
Change the People
Obesogenic
Environments
Suburbanization
Commuting makes sense
Driver
 10 minutes to work each
way
 10 minutes to gym each
way 3 times per wk
 Exercise bike 1hr 3X/wk
 5hrs 40 min total
commute/exercise
 2000 calories burned
 About 365 cal/hr
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Bike Commuter
20 minutes to work
each way
3hrs 20 min per wk
total
commute/exercise
2350 calories burned
About 700 cal/hr
An opportunity in CBRM?
Median Distance for Errands is 3km, and
5km to work (approx. 20min bike ride)
 47% want to cycle more
 61% said they would cycle to work if there
“were a dedicated bike lane which would
take me to my workplace in 30 min. or
less at a comfortable pace
 90% support creation of bike lanes

Does it work?
Sydney
Fattest* Canadian city
 Showcase for urban
sprawl
 No AT infrastructure

Vancouver
Fittest Canadian city
 Sprawl, but more
controlled (no new
highways)
 Lots of effort in AT

Other Countries: Sweden, Denmark,
Holland – very high modal share of AT, lots
of infrastructure!!
Obesity Rates HALF
Energy Usage per capita 33% less
(with comparable standard of living)
Rate your community
8 to 80?
 High heels?
 Suits?
 Percentage of lycra?
 Is there a demand yet?

Any Questions?