Physical activity

  • In developed countries, physical inactivity is a leading risk factor for ill health.
  • Forms of transport that entail physical activity, such as cycling and walking, separately or in conjunction with public transport, offer significant positive health gains. Planning and decision-making, however, have often overlooked them.
  • Over 30% of car journeys in Europe cover distances of less than 3 km; 50% cover less than 5 km. These distances can be covered within 15–20 minutes by bicycle or 30–50 minutes by brisk walking.
  • In the EU, many trips are short and most of them are made by car. This contributes to over 30% of adults being insufficiently active during a typical week, and to a prevalence of obesity that increased by 10–40% between the late 1980s and the late 1990s