Cities and states with more sidewalks and bike paths tend to have slimmer residents than locations where people must rely on vehicle transportation, according to a new study published on August 20.

　　The study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, adds to the mounting evidence showing active travel has significant health benefits, said Bassett，one of the researchers. “People who live in areas that are more conducive to walking and cycling are more likely to engage in these forms of active transport.”

　　Bassett and his colleagues analyzed data from all 50 US states and 47 largest US cities, along with international data from 14 countries. While the international data included the percentage of all trips taken by walking and cycling, they also looked at overall physical activity, obesity and diabetes.

　　Results showed that walking and cycling rates could explain more than half of the differences in obesity rates among countries, and about 30 percent of the difference in obesity rates among cities and states.

　　The US doesn't measure up well in the study, coming in at No. 12 out of 14 on percentage of trips adults take by bike or foot. Australia came in last, though that data looked at percentage of work trips that were active, not total trips.

　　“European countries with high rates of walking and cycling have less obesity than do Australia and countries in North America that are highly car-dependent,” said the researchers.

　　The researchers suggest that in addition to infrastructure improvements, cities and states should create restrictions on car use, such as car-free zones, reductions in motor vehicle speeds, and limited and more expensive car parking.

　　8月20日公布的最新研究表明，比起那些依赖汽车等交通工具的城市和国家的居民来说，人行道和车行道较多的城市和国家的居民要更加苗条一些。

　　研究成员之一巴赛特说，发表在《美国公共健康杂志》的研究更加有力地证明了积极旅游有利于身体健康。那些崇尚以步带车和骑自行车的城市更喜欢有运动参与的交通工具。

　　巴赛特和他的同事分析了来自美国50个州和47个大城市的数据，以及14个其他国家的国际数据。国际数据中包括人们步行和骑自行车在所有行程中所占的百分比。他们还进行了全面的体育运动、肥胖病和糖尿病调查。

　　调查结果表明，不同国家肥胖率的差别有一半是由于步行和骑自行车的百分比不同造成的，不同国家和城市肥胖率的差别有三分之一是由于步行和骑自行车的百分比不同造成的。

　　美国在此次的调查中没有合格。在调查的14个国家成人骑车和步行的百分比中，美国位居12。澳大利亚排在最后，尽管数据统计的不是所有行程，而只是按工作行程使用的交通工具来统计。

　　研究人员说，欧洲国家步行和骑自行车的百分比要远远高于澳大利亚和北美洲国家，欧洲国家的胖子也少于澳大利亚和北美洲国家。而且澳大利亚和北美洲国家在很大程度上要依赖汽车等交通工具。

　　研究人员建议，除了加强基础设施改进，国家和城市还应该对汽车的使用进行限制，如开设禁车区、限制机动车车速、限制停车以及提高停车费。