NEWS RELEASE

Tuesday 15th June 2004

New report calls for focus on walking as way to tackle obesity epidemic

A new report published today (Tuesday 15th) calls upon the Scottish Executive and NHS Boards to deliver "Healthy Transport" policies as a way to tackle Scotland's obesity epidemic [1]. The call will be made at a Parliamentary seminar organised by TRANSform Scotland, Voluntary Health Scotland & the UK Public Health Association in Scotland and hosted by Susan Deacon MS
P [2].

Helen Tyrrell, Director of Voluntary Health Scotland, said:

“Among the host of health problems caused by lack of exercise, the growing epidemic of obesity is causing major concern. Promoting active transportation is one of the best ways of increasing moderate exercise levels in the general population. We'd like to see government making much more of the links between health and transport strategies in order to tackle obesity."

Colin Howden, Campaign Manager of TRANSform Scotland, said:

"The Scottish Executive has strategies for roads and the railways but has no strategy for getting people to make more trips on foot. Almost half of all transport is less than two miles in length yet almost nothing is being done to promote this most sustainable and healthy form of transport.

"NHS Boards should be doing more to ensure that building walking and cycling into peoples' daily lives forms a major part of getting people to take regular moderate physical activity. The Scottish Executive should get a move on and publish its long-delayed Walking Strategy and accompany this with a new Active Travel Fund so that local authorities can deliver better conditions for walking and cycling."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

[1] 'Healthy Transport' policy document
This is available at http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/info/docs/HealthyTransport.pdf

[2] 'Healthy Transport' launch event

This is being held at the Scottish Parliament Committee Chambers on Tuesday evening. The seminar will look at: (i) How can transport contribute to improving public health in Scotland? (ii) How can 'healthy transport' options help in tackling Britain's "obesity epidemic"? and (iii) How can the Scottish Executive, NHS Boards, local authorities and employers work together to achieve better outcomes?

[3] Healthy benefits from active travel
The long-term benefits of regular moderate exercise (such as walking or cycling) include:

REDUCED LIKELIHOOD OF
Obesity
Cardiovascular diseases
Diabetes
Hypertension
Depression
Smoking/substance abuse

INCREASED LIKELIHOOD OF
Aerobic fitness
Sense of well-being
High life expectancy

[4] Unhealthy trends in transport

The last fifteen years have seen car trips replacing walking as the most frequent mode of transport in Scotland.
Almost half of all trips (45%) are less than 2 miles in length while 68% of all journeys are less than 5 miles long - yet increasingly these short trips are being made by car rather than on foot or by bike.

END OF PRESS RELEASE