Physical Activity through Sustainable Transport Approaches (PASTA)
a pan-European project on determinants and impacts of active transportation
Thomas Götschi, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Christian Brand, Oxford University, UK; Sonja Kahlmeier, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Natalie Mueller, CREAL, Barcelona, Spain; Evi Dons, VITO, Belgium; Audrey de Nazelle, ICL, London, UK;
Esther Anaya, ICL, London, UK; Tom Cole Hunter, CREAL, Barcelona, Spain; Luc Int Panis, VITO, Belgium; Regine Gerike, BOKU, Vienna, Austria; on behalf of the PASTA consortium
In Brief
Conceptual Framework
• 4-year project in 7 European cities
• Key objectives:
• Improving our understanding of active
transportation behavior, its relationship
to physical activity, and associated risks
• Translating these findings into improved
health impact modeling
PASTA Study
PASTA HIM
Your textPASTA
goes
here.
Survey (Individual)
Society
Person characteristics
Policies
Physical activity
behaviour
from PA
Behavioural framework
Community
Physical environment
Socio-geographical factors
Transport options
Health benefits
Environmental
impacts AP, CO2
Travel
behaviour
Built enviroment
Health risks from AP
Travel choices
Natural enviroment
Safety events
Social Environment
Socio-psychological factors
Injury risks from travel
Net health benefits
from active travel
A comprehensive conceptual framework
was developed building on previously
published frameworks and underlying
theories. The framework ingrates aspects
relevant to both AT and PA behavior,
distinguishes data hierarchies and guides
PASTA survey contents, data collection and
analysis.
Background
The promotion of active transportation (AT),
i.e. walking and bicycling for day-to-day
travel, is a promising approach to increase
overall physical activity (PA). Health impact
models (HIM) show substantial net benefits
of AT. However, a number of uncertainties
affect these models.
Objectives
The PASTA project (www.pastaproject.eu)
takes a broad approach in investigating how
AT contributes to PA. It brings together
perspectives from transport planning, travel
behavior and health research as well as
policy and practice. Within the project a
cohort study across seven European cities
is investigating
(a) the key determinants of AT behavior
(b)how AT relates to PA
(c) effectiveness of measures to promote AT
A main aim of this empirical study is to
contribute to the improvement of HIM of AT.
PASTA Survey
The core study is designed as a longitudinal
web-based survey which consists of a
substantial baseline questionnaire (30min)
and bi-weekly short follow-ups (5min). Every
3rd FU-Q is somewhat longer (10min).
Baseline and long FUQ assess travel and PA
behavior through a 1-day travel diary and an
adapted version of the global physical
activity questionnaire (GPAQ).
Health Impact Model
Bicyclists
A main objective of the PASTA project is to
develop a HIM for AT which builds on
previously published models as well as on
insights from the PASTA survey.
Previously published HIM have been reviewed
systematically (Mueller N. et al. forthcoming.
Presentation Tuesday 10:30AM).
The survey will provide insights in AT/PA
substitution and produce exposure adjusted
crash rates for minor crashes.
Selected elements of the PASTA HIM will be
fed into the further development of WHO‘s
Health Economic Assessment Tools for
walking and cycling (HEAT) (Workshop
Tuesday 10:30AM).
Physical activity
Pedestrians
Traffic incidents
All-cause/cause-specific mortality
Value of Life/LYL
General
population
Air pollution
Morbidities
Productivity
Noise
Fatalities/Injuries
Medical costs
The sample is split between the general
population and a subsample exposed to one
top measure per city selected to be evaluated
in a before/after analysis.
General population, some modes
oversampled
Continuous recruitment campaign (Media, Social-media, Events etc.)
Top-measure target populations,
i.e. car-sharing, e-bikes, etc.
Rolling online
registration
BL Q
Crash Q
General sample
FU short
FU long
FUS
FUL
FUS
FUS
FUS
FUS
FUS
Exit Q
FUS
TM
Exit Q
Crash Q
Top-measure sample
TM
FUS
TM
FUS
TM
FU long
FUS
TM
Hybernation
message
Re-entry
TM
FUS
TM
Participant recruitment is opportunistic. A
recruitment monitoring dashboard is used to
track progress and target recruitment to reach
a balanced sample. The goal is to recruit at
least 2000 participants in each of the seven
cities (so far 3500). Subsamples are invited to
participate in add-on modules using objective
measurements of trips, activity and air
pollution.
www.pastaproject.eu
@EUPASTA
This project has received
funding from the European
Union’s Seventh Framework
Programme for research,
technological development and
demonstration under grant
agreement no 602624-2