Transport & Health
Dr Russell G. Thompson
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
rgthom@unimelb.edu.au
Outline
Background
Cancer Report
Active Transport
Walking to Work Analysis
Measuring Active Transport
Understanding Active Transport
Active Travel Planner
Research Agenda
Background
Rapid urbanisation
Aging population
Sedentary lifestyle
Rising health costs
Obesity epidemic
Growth in cancer, heart disease & diabetes
Affluenza (Hamilton & Dennis, 2002)
Recognition that activity can reduce risk of
disease…
Cancer Report Recommendation 1
Be as lean as possible within the normal range of body
weight
PUBLIC HEALTH GOALS
Median adult body mass index (BMI) to be between 21 and 23,
depending on the normal range for different populations
The proportion of the population that is overweight
or obese to be no more than the current level,
or preferably lower, in 10 years
World Cancer Research Fund / American Institute for Cancer Research.
Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective.
Washington DC: AICR, 2007
Cancer Report Recommendation 2
Be physically active as part of everyday life
PUBLIC HEALTH GOALS
The proportion of the population that is sedentary
to be halved every 10 years
Average physical activity levels (PALs) to be above 1.6
World Cancer Research Fund / American Institute for Cancer Research.
Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective.
Washington DC: AICR, 2007
Physical Activity
Main Types
 Occupational (at work)
 Household (in home)
 Recreation (eg. sport)
 Transport (eg. journey to work)
p15, WCRF/AICR, 2007
Body Mass Index (BMI) = w/h2
Height
(m)
19.41
1.5
1.55
1.6
1.65
1.7
1.75
1.8
1.85
1.9
1.95
2
2.05
2.1
50
22.2
20.8
19.5
18.4
17.3
16.3
15.4
14.6
13.9
13.1
12.5
11.9
11.3
55
24.4
22.9
21.5
20.2
19.0
18.0
17.0
16.1
15.2
14.5
13.8
13.1
12.5
60
26.7
25.0
23.4
22.0
20.8
19.6
18.5
17.5
16.6
15.8
15.0
14.3
13.6
65
28.9
27.1
25.4
23.9
22.5
21.2
20.1
19.0
18.0
17.1
16.3
15.5
14.7
Weight (kg)
70
75
31.1 33.3
29.1 31.2
27.3 29.3
25.7 27.5
24.2 26.0
22.9 24.5
21.6 23.1
20.5 21.9
19.4 20.8
18.4 19.7
17.5 18.8
16.7 17.8
15.9 17.0
80
35.6
33.3
31.3
29.4
27.7
26.1
24.7
23.4
22.2
21.0
20.0
19.0
18.1
85
37.8
35.4
33.2
31.2
29.4
27.8
26.2
24.8
23.5
22.4
21.3
20.2
19.3
90
40.0
37.5
35.2
33.1
31.1
29.4
27.8
26.3
24.9
23.7
22.5
21.4
20.4
95
42.2
39.5
37.1
34.9
32.9
31.0
29.3
27.8
26.3
25.0
23.8
22.6
21.5
100
44.4
41.6
39.1
36.7
34.6
32.7
30.9
29.2
27.7
26.3
25.0
23.8
22.7
110
48.9
45.8
43.0
40.4
38.1
35.9
34.0
32.1
30.5
28.9
27.5
26.2
24.9
120
53.3
49.9
46.9
44.1
41.5
39.2
37.0
35.1
33.2
31.6
30.0
28.6
27.2
WHO BMI Categories
Relative risks per unit increase in BMI
(Disease type by age)
30-44 45-59
60-69
70-79
80+
Ischaemic heart
disease
1.13
1.07
1.05
1.03
1.03
Diabetes
mellitus
1.36
1.24
1.18
1.27
1.27
Stroke deaths
1.01
1
1.02
1.03
1
Stroke
1.06
1.08
1.06
1.04
1.01
Hypertensive
Heart Disease
1.09
1.16
1.16
1.12
1.06
Osteoarthritis
1.04
1.04
1.04
1.04
1.04
Breast Cancer
1.09
1.16
1.16
1.12
1.06
Bowel Cancer
1.03
1.03
1.03
1.03
1.03
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
Endometrial
Cancer
SOURCE: Department of Human Services-Public Health Group. (2005)
Burden of Disease & Injury Comparison for
Victoria (Years of Life Lost)
Road Traffic
Accidents
Diabetes
Male
6,880
4,581
Female
2,426
3,984
Total
9,306
8,565
A Taxonomy of Urban Activity Categories
Urban Activity
At-home Activity
Out-of-home Activity
At-node Activity
Between-node Activity
People Movement Activity
Product (Freight &
Waste) Transport Activity
Active Transport
Walk, Bike, PT
Private Motor Car
Source: H. Kayak 2007
Solution?
Lap Gastric Band
http://www.melbourneobesitysurgery.com.au/lap_band.htm
Active Transport
“Active transport relates to physical activity undertaken as
a means of transport. It includes travel by foot, bicycle
and other non-motorised vehicles. Use of public transport
is also included in the definition as it often involves some
walking or cycling to pick-up and from drop-off points.
Active transport does not include walking, cycling or
other physical activity that is undertaken for recreation.”
National Public Health Partnership, 60:2005
Active Transport & Health
All of seven chronic diseases accorded the status of
National Health Priority Area by Australian health
ministers benefit from active transport
 Cardiovascular disease
 Cancer
 Diabetes
 Asthma
 Arthritis
 Mental health
 Musculoskeletal
Active Transport
Gain exercise without noticing by becoming part
of everyday life (eg. JTW)
Urban areas largely comprised of "obesogenic"
environments that encourage inactivity
Need to “redesign cities as gyms”
Engineering skills of data collection, analysis,
modelling & design can assist…
“Active transport relates to physical activity undertaken as
a means of transport. It includes travel by foot, bicycle
and other non-motorised vehicles. Use of public transport
is also included in the definition as it often involves some
walking or cycling to pick-up and from drop-off points.
Active transport does not include walking, cycling or
other physical activity that is undertaken for recreation.”
National Public Health Partnership, 60:2005
p377, WCRF/AICR, 2007
Walking to Work Analysis
ABS Census 2006 data recently released by small
area (approx. 1 km2) and suburb areas
Analysis
Suburbs vary in the percentage of persons who
travelled to work outside their home by
walking only
Min 0 (Bulla, outer suburb)
Max (40.4% Females, 34.8% Males in Carlton,
near The University)
Average: (4.6% Females, 3.5% Males)
Walking to Work by Suburbs in Melbourne
45
40
35
Male (%)
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0
5
10
15
20
25
Female (%)
30
35
40
45
Measurement Issues
“Physical activity is rarely measured precisely.
Ideally, studies would record the frequency, intensity, and
duration of people’s physical activity over an extended
period — day and night. But studies are generally not
designed to obtain this information. Objective measures
such as pedometers and microcomputer sensors are not
often used in large studies. Instead, questionnaires are
most frequently used.”
p201, WCRF/AICR, 2007
Conventional Travel Surveys
 Self completion mail-out/mail-back
questionnaires eg. Victorian Activity and
Travel Survey, (VATS & VISTA)
 Expensive: data collection, entry & error
checking
 Times (at stops) are recorded in nearest minute
 Stops are geocoded but trip distances must be
estimated.
– Therefore, average speed is not accurate
(underestimation)…
GPS Data
Pt = (xt, yt, zt) captured at discrete time periods t
Using x & y can determine for each trip stage:
 distance travelled
 time travelled
 average speed
Using z can determine gradient
Analysis & Interpretation of GPS
data
Need to determine:
 nodes (stops) to identify trip stages
 mode travelled for trip segments
 type of stops (eg. workplace, home or public
transport stop)
 trip purpose
GPS Data Analysis
 Automatically & accurately determine: WHEN
& WHERE of trip segments
 Difficulty determining:
– HOW (mode)
– WHY (purpose)
– WHAT (activity node)
GPS Data Analysis
Methods for detecting trip characteristics
 Rule based system (RBS)
 Data mining (Classification)
 Artificial Intelligence (learning, multi-day…)
Identification of mode for trip stages
Mode
Walk
Average Travel Speed
(km/h)
4
Bicycle
20
Bus
35
Car
40
Train
60
Determining Travel Mode





Ranges of travel speeds & acceleration
Relationship with transport network
Stopping behaviour
Location of start & end of trip stages
Duration of travel
Active Transport Indicators
Summary of exercise undertaken
 Distance walked & cycled (per trip segment,
per day)
 Time walked & cycled (per trip segment, per
day)
 Predicted energy consumption
= f(travel speed, distance, gradient,…)
Active Travel Planner
Optimise Active Transport for individuals
Objective Function
Maximise Active Transport (time walking & cycling)
Constraints
Walking & cycling speeds
Travel time budget
Public transport timetables
Start times to reach & location of activity nodes
Decision Variables
Location of travel nodes (Stops)
Mode(s) used to travel between travel nodes
% Freqy
Travel Speeds of Walking Trip Segments in Melbourne
(straight line distance)
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
km/h
N = 3909
VISTA Database: 2007
Active Travel
Influencing Factors
Daily amount of walking & cycling (distance,
time & speed)
Determine influencing factors
Personal (eg. age, gender, work & income)
Spatial (eg. density, parkland & accessibility to
public transport, employment & shops)
Household (eg. # cars & composition)
Using VISTA and regression (incl. Logistic)
Software Platform
VISTA Data (MS XL)
MySQL (data access)
MATLAB (statistics & graphics)
Java (processing)
MAPINFO (Spatial analysis)
Research Agenda
Determine what levels of active transport (esp.
walking & cycling) are occurring now
Investigate how GPS can be used to measure active
transport
How can VISTA be used to calculate PALS?
Identify what personal, transport system & spatial
factors influence the amount of active transport