A study of residents in Beijing, China who became car owners indicates that they used alternative transportation modes less after buying cars.
A study published in the journal The BMJ tracked a group of adults in Beijing, China after they won a randomized lottery allowing them to purchase vehicle permits. "The study found that getting a car had a significant impact on people’s physical activity. They walked less. They cycled less. They used less public transit," reports Susan Perry.
Ninety-one percent of the 180 people in the survey sample who won permits ended up getting cars. This allowed researchers to compare their activity levels and travel behavior to individuals who did not own cars. In addition to fewer transit rides and less cycling, individuals over the age of 50 gained an average of 23 pounds.
"These results offer a message for all us. They suggest that the ways we — as individuals and as a society — choose to transport ourselves, particularly in our cities, can have a direct impact on our health," adds Perry.
FULL STORY: Owning a car is linked to less physical activity and weight gain
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research