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posted by Brent Hugh at 8/28/2003 05:10:00 PM
On August 28, the American Journal of Health Promotion and the American Journal of Public Health published the first national study to show a direct link between sprawl, physical activity and health. The peer-reviewed study, "Relationship between Urban Sprawl and Physical Activity, Obesity, and Morbidity," found that people living in automobile-dependent neighborhoods are likely to walk less, weigh more, and are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure.
A companion report issued on the same day by Smart Growth America and the Surface Transportation Policy Project, "Measuring the Health Effects of Sprawl," which provides county-level analysis of the metropolitan areas studied, further demonstrates the need for public investment in community infrastructure. The studies come just days before the U.S. House of Representatives is poised to consider a transportation spending measure that threatens the elimination of the Transportation Enhancements program, which has accounted for a substantial share of all federal commitments to pedestrian safety improvements and other walking and bicycling facilities. "Communities with a wider variety of transportation options, including walking and bicycling, are healthier places to live," said Anne Canby, President of the Surface Transportation Policy Project. "We urge Congress to remember this when voting on the transportation appropriations bill in early September: A vote to restore critical funds for bicycle and pedestrian facilities is a vote for public health." Many communities around the country already have plans in the works to build more paths, bike lanes, and sidewalks, and are taking creative approaches to public transit and development. But these plans may fall through if federal funds for Transportation Enhancements and other programs for multi-modal investments dry up or are curtailed. For more information about the report, including state factsheets and practical steps communities can take today to increase physical activity, see the report, "Measuring the Health Effects of Sprawl". Click here for information on Transportation Enhancements in each state. For more tools and resources, visit ActiveLiving.org.
posted by Brent Hugh at 8/27/2003 10:32:00 AM
The Touring Road and Trail Wisdom web site has many interesting bits of advice for cyclists--whether touring or not.
Some samples:
posted by Brent Hugh at 8/26/2003 11:40:00 AM
Steve Norton of Overland Park was riding his bike on a trail last Friday when a cougar ran across the trail in front of him. According to the KCStar story, there have been several cougar sightings around the metro area in the past year or so.
Hit the trails on your mountain bike and maybe you'll see a cougar . . .
posted by Brent Hugh at 8/25/2003 11:00:00 AM
A UK city has implemented 115 different 20 MPH zones throughout the city, covering about 1/4 of the cities roads. The results in the city of Hull are quite astonishing:
Hull City Council’s 20mph zone programme is thought to have prevented 200 serious injuries and 1000 minor injuries over the years. The overall number of road casualties in the city has been cut by 20 per cent and the number of deaths and injuries have each been cut by about 40 per cent. Overall, the cost of implementing the zones has been £4.5 million, with another £5.4 million required to zone other areas of the city. The financial savings from the zones already implemented (in terms of injury costs) have been estimated at well over £40 million, giving a 10:1 value for money ratio.Do residents hate the 20 MPH zones? Are they controversial? On the contrary: The results of post-implementation monitoring of the zones have been very positive. Seventy-two per cent of respondents say they think speeds have been reduced as a result. Forty-eight per cent think the zones have made the area “a more pleasant place to live” and 71 per cent would recommend traffic claming to someone in another area. Overall, 77 per cent think the 20mph zones are “a good idea”.
posted by Brent Hugh at 8/25/2003 10:54:00 AM
Home Zone News has information about Home Zones in the UK. Home Zones are neighborhood areas designed (or re-designed) to calm traffic, encourage walking and bicycling, and make cities and towns more neighborly and inviting. In short, they create neighborhoods designed for people, where automobiles are guests, rather than the other way 'round.
A typical Home Zone retrofit includes these features:
posted by Brent Hugh at 8/25/2003 10:26:00 AM
A New Hampshire couple have become the first to backpack the entire American Discovery Trail, a 5,058-mile cross-country route designed for hiking and biking.
The trail goes through the St. Louis and Kansas City metro areas and uses the Katy Trail for much of the distance across Missouri. Read the KCStar story for more details.
posted by Brent Hugh at 8/25/2003 09:19:00 AM
Anne Karpf wrote an eloquent article about the pedestrian's plight in Great Britain. By her description, the situation there mirrors almost exactly the situation here in Missouri.
According to the Highway Code, if a pedestrian has started to cross, they have right of way, yet I've never met a driver that knows it. . . .By the way, Karpf's answer to the question, "Why didn't the pedestrian cross the road?" is "Because the government didn't want him to get to the other side."
posted by Brent Hugh at 8/15/2003 10:01:00 PM
A new CDC survey, summarized in the Salt Lake Tribune, shows that more than half of Americans do not get even minimal physical activity. About one-fourth of Americans are completely sedentary. According to the report:
[E]ven with playing with children and raking the lawn on the list of moderate-intensity activities, the 2001 phone survey released Thursday showed that 55 percent of adults still didn't get the recommended minimum: 30 minutes a day, at least four days a week. . . .
posted by Brent Hugh at 8/15/2003 09:37:00 PM
posted by Brent Hugh at 8/15/2003 08:15:00 PM
Need a good reason to get out for a little ride? ReutersHealth has a summary of interesting research into lowering blood pressure among those with high blood pressure. As little as 30-60 minutes per week of exercise already starts to have a beneficial effect on blood pressure. About 75 minutes per week of exercise per week gave the "most bang for the buck".
According to the article: No changes in blood pressure were observed in the sedentary group. On the other hand, all of the subjects in the exercise groups experienced significant reductions in both systolic blood pressure (the top number in a pressure reading) and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number in a pressure reading.)
posted by Brent Hugh at 8/14/2003 10:23:00 PM
SIANOMO (Southern Iowa & Northern Missouri) starts and finishes over the new concrete Lamoni (IA) Recreational Trail. Three different routes traverse scenic bistate countryside and state park. Minimal auto traffic in back country area. Several SAG stops. Longest run has challenging hills for those who dare. All roads lead to city park with sizzling hamburgers waiting.
The ride starts at 9AM on September 6th, 2003. Click here (and look for the link to "SIANOMO") for more info.
posted by Brent Hugh at 8/14/2003 01:41:00 PM
The St. Peters police department has an interesting program to reward kids who are "caught" wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle. Details in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.
posted by Brent Hugh at 8/14/2003 10:38:00 AM
STLToday reports this incident that happened to Dr. Gregory Luerding, a dentist and triathlete:
Luerding turned onto Lake Saint Louis Boulevard, a two-lane concrete road with a bicycle lane on either side.As a "belt AND suspenders" kind of guy, I can't help but mention that, in addition to wearing a helmet, it would be quite wise to avoid 45 mph downhills on "hideous roads" with "cracks in the pavement," especially if any of those cracks are running roughly parallel to the direction of travel . . .
posted by Brent Hugh at 8/14/2003 10:12:00 AM
Today's KCStar has a story about Glen Shepard of Overland Park, who is planning to ride this year's 750-mile Paris-Brest-Paris:
"Starting out, you've got a lot of enthusiasm. After 275 miles you wonder if it's such a good idea," Shepard says, laughing. "That's when it becomes a mental thing. Your body can do it, but your mind has to push through. The goal is to finish and to do it in the fastest time you can."
posted by Brent Hugh at 8/12/2003 11:02:00 PM
An article in Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine (reported in ReutersHealth) documents the frightening climb in childhood weight in America, and suggests and interesting way to fight the problem--a "Health Report Card". A few tidbits from the article:
Between 1963 and 2000, the percentage of US children who were overweight nearly tripled. . . .
posted by Brent Hugh at 8/06/2003 10:01:00 AM
Today's Bolivar Herald-Free Press has an article about Joel Schroeder, who is planning to ride the Kansas City MS150 again this year:
Schroeder has been pedaling his bicycle on country back roads in the event for 20 years - ever since its beginning in 1984. He is one of only three riders who have ridden in the noncompetitive bike tour all 20 years, and he's not going to let up. . . .
posted by Brent Hugh at 8/05/2003 06:34:00 AM
According to a ReutersHealth article:
More and more children are donning protective helmets when cycling but most wear them improperly, exposing them to possible head injury, researchers said on Monday. Recent Posts in Cycling Tips & Stories
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