Patient Factsheet Get Healthy & Fit with Active Transportation

A patient factsheet from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment explaining the health, financial, and environmental benefits of active transportation, such as walking and cycling, as a way to integrate physical activity into daily life.

• Active transportation is defined as human-powered travel used to reach destinations like school or work, primarily consisting of walking or cycling, but also including skating, skateboarding, wheeling, and kayaking.
• Engaging in active transportation can lower the risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Research indicates that every hour of vigorous or moderate activity per week is associated with a 4% to 9% reduction in the risk of premature death.
• Active transportation aids in weight management; one study showed that walking an additional kilometre daily reduced the risk of obesity by 4.8%, whereas spending an hour in a car daily increased that risk by 6%.
• Active transportation provides financial and environmental advantages. It serves as a low-cost alternative to owning a car, which is estimated to cost approximately $10,000 annually. Unlike cars, which are major sources of greenhouse gases and air pollution contributing to climate change, active modes produce neither.
• Active transportation increases accessibility for the 20-40% of people in a typical community who cannot drive due to expense, ability, or age, providing better access to services, schools, and jobs.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (n.d.). Patient Factsheet Get Healthy & Fit with Active Transportation. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/CAPE-AT-Patient-Active-Transp-2018.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Patient Factsheet Get Healthy & Fit with Active Transportation. n.d. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/CAPE-AT-Patient-Active-Transp-2018.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Patient Factsheet Get Healthy & Fit with Active Transportation |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/CAPE-AT-Patient-Active-Transp-2018.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironmentndpatient, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Patient Factsheet Get Healthy \& Fit with Active Transportation}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/CAPE-AT-Patient-Active-Transp-2018.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }