Active travel may have positive effects on health outcomes , but there is little robust evidence to date of the effectiveness of active transport interventions for reducing obesity .
BACKGROUND Increasing active travel ( primarily walking and cycling ) has been widely advocated for reducing obesity levels and achieving other population health benefits .
However , the strength of evidence underpinning this strategy is unclear .
This study aim ed to assess the evidence that active travel has significant health benefits .
“Walk in to Work Out”: a randomised controlled trial of a self help intervention to promote active commuting
Study objective : To determine if a self help intervention , delivered via written interactive material s ( the “ Walk in to Work Out ” pack ) , could increase  active commuting behaviour ( walking and cycling ) . Design : R and omised controlled trial . The intervention group received the “ Walk in to Work Out ” pack , which contained written interactive material s based on the transtheoretical model of behaviour change , local information about distances and routes , and safety information . The control group received the pack six months later . Focus groups were also conducted after six months . Setting : Three workplaces in the city of Glasgow , Scotl and , UK . Participants : 295 employees who had been identified as thinking about , or doing some irregular , walking or cycling to work . Main results : The intervention group was almost twice as likely to increase walking to work as the control group at six months ( odds ratio of 1.93 , 95 % confidence intervals 1.06 to 3.52 ) . The intervention was not successful at increasing cycling . There were no distance travelled to work , gender , or age influences on the results . Twenty five per cent ( 95 % confidence intervals 17 % to 32 % ) of the intervention group , who received the pack at baseline , were regularly actively commuting at the 12 month follow up . Conclusion : The “ Walk in to Work Out ” pack was successful in increasing walking but not cycling . The environment for cycling must be improved before cycling will become a popular option
Active travel may have positive effects on health outcomes , but there is little robust evidence to date of the effectiveness of active transport interventions for reducing obesity .
BACKGROUND Increasing active travel ( primarily walking and cycling ) has been widely advocated for reducing obesity levels and achieving other population health benefits .
However , the strength of evidence underpinning this strategy is unclear .
This study aim ed to assess the evidence that active travel has significant health benefits .