Resource: The Active Cities Report

July 21, 2015

The Active Cities Report is a document that includes sample metrics and inspirational examples to encourage cities to become more active. According to the report, “Levels of physical activity are associated with positive outcomes. When people move more, crime, pollution and traffic go down. Productivity, school performance, property values, health and well-being improve drastically.”

A city that is active has even more benefits than that, listed below:

  • Economic: cost savings, job growth, and productivity

  • Safety: less crime with fewer pedestrian and cyclist injuries

  • Social: better communities and more civic engagement

  • Environmental: reduced pollution and improved climate

  • Health: less depression, anxiety, obesity and chronic disease 

Researchers from the Active Living Research (ALR) looked at 521 pieces of evidence of the benefits of active living. To achieve a truly active city, there are four calls to action that need to be done: prioritizing physical activity, making existing resources active resources, design for people to be active and building a legacy of movement. The Active Cities Report goes into great detail about how exactly cities can make the city more active. This is a valuable resource for any city trying to improve the productivity and safety of its people.

See more information at Design to Move.