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Transport and health
Quantifying the positive health effects of cycling and walking
(Photo: iStockphoto)
Assessing cycling and walking schemes requires comprehensive cost–benefit analyses, however available methodologies often do not take full account of the benefits to health. To facilitate evidence-based decision-making, WHO has developed, in collaboration with experts, an online tool to estimate the value of reduced mortality that results from regular walking or cycling.
The Health and Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) for cycling and walking is intended to be part of comprehensive cost–benefit analyses of transport interventions or infrastructure projects and complement existing tools for economic valuations of transport interventions, for example on emissions or congestion. It can also be used to assess the current situation or past investments.
A guidance book and a summary address practitioners and experts, focusing on approaches to the economic valuation of positive health effects related to cycling and walking.
See also
- Health economic assessment tool (HEAT) for cycling and walking
- Health in All Policies in practice: guidance and tools to quantifying the health effects of cycling and walking
Article in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health presenting the guidance and some practical applications of HEAT. It concludes that substantial savings can be expected from increased cycling and walking - European network for the promotion of health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA Europe)
Better health through physical activity among all people in the WHO European Region