The importance of psychosocial factors in transport and health

The relationship between transport and health continues to be validated. With evidence from Chile, Passi-Solar et al. (2020) found those carrying out more active travel and those using public transport had multiple nutritional and metabolic benefits including lower BMI, lower waist circumference, less obesity, higher vitamin D, lower cholesterol and lower hepatic inflammation. The need to shift out of the car to more active travel is vital for our health. Many articles in this edition of Journal of Transport and Health highlight the need to take into account the wider psychological and social (sometimes referred to as psychosocial) determinants of transport behaviour if we’re to fully understand how to encourage a shift to more safe and more active travel.