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ObjectivesPromoting active modes of transportation such as cycling may generate important public health, economic, and climate mitigation benefits. We aim to assess mortality and morbidity impacts of cycling in a country with relatively low levels of cycling, France, along with associated monetary benefits; we further assess the potential additional benefits of shifting a portion of short trips from cars to bikes, including projected greenhouse gas emissions savings.MethodsUsing individual data from a nationally-representative mobility survey, we described the French 2019 cycling levels by age and sex. We conducted a burden of disease analysis to assess the incidence of five chronic diseases (breast cancer, colon cancer, cardio-vascular diseases, dementia, and type-2 diabetes) and numbers of deaths prevented by cycling. We assessed the corresponding tangible costs saved based on direct medical costs and intangible costs based on the value of a statistical life year. Lastly, based on individual simulations, we assessed the likely additional benefits of shifting 25% of short (ResultsThe French adult (20-89 years) population was estimated to cycle on average of 1min 17sec pers-1.day-1in 2019, with important heterogeneity across gender and age. This yielded benefits of 1,919 (uncertainty interval, UI: 1,101-2,736) premature deaths and 5,963 (95% UI: 3,178-8,749) chronic disease cases prevented, with males enjoying nearly 75% of these benefits. Direct medical costs prevented were estimated at €191 million (UI: 98-285) annually, while the corresponding intangible costs were nearly 25 times higher (€4.8 billion, UI: 3.0-6.5). Shifting 25% of short car trips to biking would yield approximatively a 3-fold increase in benefits, while also generating important CO2emission reductions (0.688 MtCO2e, UI: 0.524-0.854).ConclusionIn a country of low- to moderate cycling culture, cycling already generates important public health and health-related economic benefits. Further development of active transportation would increase these benefits while also contributing to climate change mitigation targets. |
