Walking health benefits – illustrated

In case any public or private institution asks just what’s so great about walking and transit when it comes to your health, here’s a number of hard hitting facts visually communicated. These graphics can be found in the very readable 25-page Evaluating Public Transportation Health Benefits report published by the American Public Transportation Association.

Daily Walking Trips And Transit Travel (above) – It doesn’t matter what your income is, if you don’t use transit, you’re hardly walking, and that leads to…

Mode Split Versus National Obesity Rates (below) – The less you take transit, walk or bike, the more likely you’ll be obese. Mind you, this is common sense, but the sense is made even more common when presented visually.

The following two charts:

Public Transportation Health Impacts – Shows how the health concerns of traffic safety, pollution reduction, physical fitness, mental health, affordability and basic mobility are positively affected by transit, and often ignored by conventional city planning.

Public Transportation Health Impacts – For all you decision-makers out there, this shows the financial impact of ignoring health issues and health-oriented planning and development. It gets pretty expensive very quickly.

Mode Split Versus National Obesity Rates (Bassett, et al 2008)

Public Transportation Health Impacts
Public Transportation Health Impacts

Estimated Public Transit Health Benefits
Estimated Public Transit Health Benefits

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