Recent Streetsblog NYC posts about Public Health

British National Health Experts: Cycling Safer Than Couch Sitting

By Angie Schmitt | Nov 30, 2012 | No Comments

A British national health authority is advising UK residents to make walking and cycling the norm for short trips, in order to reduce the risk of chronic diseases associated with the nation’s obesity epidemic. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence issued a 97-page report Wednesday on the topic with a number of recommendations. […]

Bronx Toddler Apparently One of Many Unreported NYC Pedestrian Deaths

By Brad Aaron | Nov 20, 2012 | 3 Comments

Based on NYPD crash data and media reports, it appears that a toddler who was hit by a driver in the Bronx earlier this year soon died from his injuries. On March 27 at around 4:40 p.m., a 2-year-old boy was chasing after an ice cream truck on Taylor Avenue in Parkchester when he was struck […]

East Harlem Parks Report Recognizes Value of Livable Streets

By Stephen Miller | Nov 8, 2012 | 2 Comments

Because of its proximity to Central Park, you might be forgiven for assuming East Harlem has plenty of open space. But a new report from New Yorkers for Parks argues that the neighborhood is isolated from many of its parks by busy roads and other barriers. Streets and sidewalks, the group says, can play a crucial role […]

Study: Access to Light Rail Can Reduce Obesity Risk — If You Use It

By Angie Schmitt | Jul 26, 2012 | No Comments

Living near transit can help you stay trim and healthy. That’s the result of a study published last year in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine. This study is a little old — it was published in August 2011 — but we just came across it in the Reconnecting America resource center and the results are too […]

Study: Low-Income Neighborhoods Much More Likely to Have Dangerous Roads

By Angie Schmitt | Apr 25, 2012 | No Comments

Who suffers most from bad road design? Not surprisingly, the answer is poor people, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health. Researchers examined injury rates for pedestrians, drivers and cyclists over a five-year period in Montreal. They found pedestrians living in low-income neighborhoods were more than six times more likely […]

New WHO Tool Calculates the Health Savings of Bike/Ped Infrastructure

By Angie Schmitt | Mar 23, 2012 | No Comments

Sidewalks, bike lanes, traffic calming projects — they save lives. Not just by protecting cyclists and pedestrians (not to mention motorists), but by encouraging physical activity that leads to a healthy life. Of course, it can be hard to convince politicians to see things in those terms when it’s time to pony up for walking […]

Show More Stories