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Helmet use, safety and obesity

Cycle use, risk of fatality and helmet use in Europe and USA

	Sources Cycle helmet wearing: Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Sweden [3]; Germany [7]; UK [4]; USA & France (Paris) [6]. Cyclist deaths: EU [2]; France [14], USA [7]. Cycle Percentage of trips: Flanders cities [5]; USA, Canada, France, Italy, Austria [7]; UK, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark [3]; Germany [1]; Netherlands [8]
These two graphs present alternative views of the same data

Cycle use and obesity in Europe

Sources Overweight children [9] Cycle use [10]

There is not necessarily a direct link between these relationships. However, there are good grounds for believing that there are indirect links.

Strong cycle helmet promotion campaigns (or helmet mandation) are known to reduce cycle use [11]. Where cycle use is low, the risk of injury when cycling is higher due to a reduction in the 'safety in numbers' effect [12] [13]. Where cycle use is reduced, societal activity levels also decline, leading to increased average weight and obesity.

References
[1] Bracher T. Nationaler Radverkehrsplan - Umsetzung in der Stadt - Einführung zur Fachtagung des Forum Mensch und Verkehr (SRL) und des Fachausschuss Verkehr (ADFC/SRL) am 23./25.5.2003 in Hannover
[2] Committee for Integrated Transport. European Best Practice in the delivery of sustainable transport – Report on Stage 1: Benchmarking, WS Atkins. 2001
[3] European Commission. How to enhance WALking and CYcliNG instead of shorter car trips and to make these modes safer. 1999.
[4] Bryan-Brown K, Christie N. Cycle helmet wearing in 1999. Transport Research Laboratory, report 487. 2001.
[5] European Cyclists Federation. Transport Demand of Modes not covered in International Transport Statistics. 1997.
[6] Osberg JS, Stiles SC. Bicycle use and Safety in Paris, Boston and Amsterdam. Transportation Quarterly, Fall 1998, Vol 52(4), pp 61-76.
[7] Pucher J, Dijkstra L. Making walking and cycling safer: lessons from Europe. Transportation Quarterly. Summer 2000, Vol 54(3).
[8] Welleman, T. An efficient means of transport: experiences with cycling policy in the Netherlands. In Planning for Cycling, ed. Hugh McClintock, Chapter 12, pp 192-208, Woodhead Publishing Ltd, Cambridge 2002.
[9] International Obesity Task Force, 2002.
[10] Department for Transport UK, 1996.
[11] see: How helmet promotion and laws affect cycle use.
[12] Jacobsen PL. Safety in numbers: more walkers and bicyclists, safer walking and bicycling. Injury Prevention, 2003;9:205-209.
[13] Wardlaw MJ. Assessing the actual risks faced by cyclists. Traffic Engineering + Control, Dec 2002 p352-356.
[14] Carre J-R. La bicyclette: un mode de deplacement meconnu dans ses risques comme dans son usage. Recherche Transports Securite Dec1995;49:19-34