Car drivers are 4 kg heavier than cyclists, new study says

The EU-funded PASTA project -led by an international group of experts, including the World Health Organization - is studying how different forms of transport relate to levels of physical activity, and consequently people's health.

PASTA researchers monitored 11,000 volunteers in seven European cities and asked how they move around the city, which mode of transport they use and how much time they spend travelling.

The project also asked volunteers to record their height, weight, and to provide information about their attitudes towards walking and bicycling and whether they experienced any accidents recently.

An analysis of the data shows that those people who drove cars were on average 4 kilograms heavier than those who cycled.

Dr Adrian Davis, a UK transport and health expert and member of PASTA's advisory board, said: "People who are physically inactive are at higher risk of developing chronic diseases, such as cancer, stroke, heart attacks, as well as becoming overweight. Our research shows that factors like urban design, how we move in cities, the use of cars, bikes or walking could play an important role in determining the level of people's daily physical activity.

"Being more active can make you healthier, save you money and improve your life. Getting your recommended 30 minutes of exercise a day by simply integrating it into your travel routine is time efficient in increasingly busy lives . Instead of going to the gym, for example, think about cycling to work."

Get involved!

The PASTA project is looking for more volunteers to take part in its research to help understand the relationship between transport and health.

Get involved by visiting www. pastaproject.eu

More about PASTA

PASTA (Physical Activity through Sustainable Transport Approaches) is an EU-funded project that comprises of leading experts from the fields of health, physical activity, transport modelling, safety and air quality.

PASTA researchers plan to follow 14,000 volunteers in seven cities around Europe: Antwerp, Barcelona, London, Orebro, Rome, Vienna and Zurich.

For more information on the PASTA project, visit www. pastaproject.eu