Urban mobility and health: a multicentric survey conducted in some Italian cities

Urban and transport planning, environmental exposures, physical activity and human health are strictly linked. The aim of this study was to analyze the determinants of sustainable and active mobility in 4 Italian provinces.

An online multiple-choice survey was administered via Google Form between October 2019 and February 2020.

605 people answered the questionnaire, reporting their mobility practices. The home location did not seem to influence mobility behaviours, with the exception of the greater use of public transport for those who did not live in the province capital. Working or studying in central areas was associated with less use of the car, while not working or studying in the province capital was associated with less use of the motorbike. Women use cars more, and motorcycles/bicycles less. Age and educational level did not seem to influence mobility practices, while being a student compared to a worker was related to greater use of public transport and tendency to walk to the work/study place as well as to lesser car use.

It is essential that all cities adopt solutions to encourage healthy mobility. The positive relationship between BMI and car use, between good food score and bike use and between frequent light physical activity and healthy mobility indicators confirmed that risk factors are often interconnected and that improving even one single habit could have a positive effect on the others as well.

An urgent paradigm shift is needed to transform urban areas from agglomerations oriented on motorized transport to ones that rely on active and sustainable mobility, in order to turn cities into places generating wellness and health.