Does active travel make people healthier, or are healthy people more inclined to travel actively?

Active travel (walking and cycling) is increasingly being recognised as a potentially effective means of increasing physical activity levels and thereby contribute to physical and mental health. To date, however, much of the empirical evidence related to the health benefits of active travel is based on cross-sectional data. As such, the direction of causation remains uncertain, i.e. does active travel lead to improved health or vice-versa, are healthier individuals more inclined to participate in active travel? This study aims to systematically assess the bidirectional relationships between active travel, on the one hand, and two relevant health outcomes on the other, namely body-mass index (BMI) and mental health.

Lees de Nederlandstalige samenvatting gemaakt door Fietsberaad.