Health economic assessment tools (HEAT) for walking and for cycling: methodology and user guide: economic assessment of transport infrastructure and policies

The promotion of cycling and walking for everyday physical activity not only promotes health but can also have positive effects on the environment. This booklet summarizes the tools and guidance developed to facilitate this shift: the methodology for the economic assessment of transport infrastructure and policies in relation to the health effects of walking and cycling; systematic reviews of the economic and health literature; and guidance on applying the health economic assessment tools and the principles underlying it. This methodology and user guide will be of key interest to professionals at both national and local levels: transport planners, traffic engineers, and special interest groups working on transport, walking, cycling or the environment, as well as health economists, physical activity experts and health promotion experts.

Gesundheitsökonomische Bewertungsinstrumente (HEAT) für Gehen und für Radfahren: Methodik und Benutzerhandbuch: ökonomische Bewertung von Verkehrsinfrastruktur und Verkehrspolitik

Die Förderung von Radfahren und Zufußgehen zum Zwecke täglicher körperlicher Betätigung kommt nicht nur der Gesundheit zugute, sondern kann sich auch positiv auf die Umwelt auswirken. In dieser Broschüre werden die für die Erleichterung einer solchen Umstellung entwickelten Instrumente und Empfehlungen zusammengefasst: die Methodik für die ökonomische Bewertung der Verkehrsinfrastruktur und der Verkehrspolitik in Bezug auf die gesundheitlichen Effekte von Zufußgehen und Radfahren; systematische Sichtungen der ökonomischen und gesundheitsbezogenen Fachliteratur; und Empfehlungen für die Anwendung der gesundheitsökonomischen Bewertungsinstrumente und der ihnen zugrunde liegenden Prinzipien. Die Methodik und das Benutzerhandbuch sind von wesentlichem Interesse für Fachkräfte auf nationaler wie kommunaler Ebene, d. h. Verkehrsplaner und Verkehrsingenieure sowie Interessengruppen in den Bereichen Verkehr, Zufußgehen, Radfahren oder Umwelt, aber auch Gesundheitsökonomen und Experten für Bewegung und Gesundheitsförderung.

Outil d’évaluation économique des effets sanitaires (HEAT) liés à la pratique du vélo et à la marche : méthodologie et guide de l’utilisateur : évaluation économique des infrastructures et politiques de transport

La promotion de la pratique du vélo et de la marche dans le cadre de l’activité physique quotidienne n’est pas seulement favorable à la santé, mais peut aussi s’avérer bénéfique pour l’environnement. Cette publication résume les outils élaborés afin de faciliter l’adoption de ces pratiques ainsi que les orientations dans ce domaine : méthodologie d’évaluation économique des infrastructures et politiques de transport en termes d’effets sanitaires de la bicyclette et de la marche ; revues systématiques de la littérature économique et sanitaire ; et conseils pour l’application des outils d’évaluation économique des effets sanitaires et principes à l’appui. Cette méthodologie et ce guide de l’utilisateur intéresseront principalement les professionnels aux niveaux national et local : les planificateurs des transports, les ingénieurs de la circulation, et les groupes d’intérêt spéciaux œuvrant dans le domaine du transport, de la marche, de la pratique du vélo ou de l’environnement, ainsi que les économistes de la santé et les experts en activité physique et en promotion de la santé.

Modelling the impact of a healthy diet on cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality.

BACKGROUND: Quantifying the potential health benefits of improvements in the nutritional quality of the average diet of a population would provide evidence for resource allocation between population-level interventions aimed at reducing chronic disease. METHODS: A model was built linking consumption of food components with biological risk factors (blood pressure, serum cholesterol and obesity) and subsequent mortality from coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer. Meta-analyses of individual-level studies that quantified the RR of increased consumption/increased risk factor level on disease outcomes were used to build the model. The sensitivity of the model to the results from the meta-analyses was assessed with Monte Carlo simulations. Country-specific estimates of current nutrient intake compared against dietary recommendations for the UK were used to demonstrate the model. RESULTS: Approximately 33 000 deaths per year would be avoided if UK dietary recommendations were met. The modelled reduction in deaths for coronary heart disease was 20 800 (95% credible interval 17 845-24 069), for stroke 5876 (3856-7364) and for cancer 6481 (4487-8353). Over 15 000 of the avoided deaths would be due to increased consumption of fruit and vegetables. CONCLUSIONS: The developed model estimates the impact of population-level dietary changes and is robust. Achieving UK dietary recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption (five portions a day) would result in substantial health benefits-equivalent benefits would be achieved if salt intakes were lowered to 3.5 g per day or saturated fat intakes were lowered to 3% of total energy.

Health economic assessment tools (HEAT) for walking and for cycling: methodology and user guide: economic assessment of transport infrastructure and policies

The promotion of cycling and walking for everyday physical activity not only promotes health but can also have positive effects on the environment. This booklet summarizes the tools and guidance developed to facilitate this shift: the methodology for the economic assessment of transport infrastructure and policies in relation to the health effects of walking and cycling; systematic reviews of the economic and health literature; and guidance on applying the health economic assessment tools and the principles underlying it. This methodology and user guide will be of key interest to professionals at both national and local levels: transport planners, traffic engineers, and special interest groups working on transport, walking, cycling or the environment, as well as health economists, physical activity experts and health promotion experts.