Abstract
Background: There is growing interest in “Health in All Policies” approaches, aiming at promoting health
through policies which are under the control of nonhealth sectors. While economic appraisal is an established
practice in transport planning, health effects are rarely taken into account. An international project was carried
out to develop guidance and tools for practitioners for quantifying the health effects of cycling and walking,
supporting their full appraisal. Development process: A systematic review of existing approaches was carried
out. Then, the products were developed with an international expert panel through an extensive consensus
finding process. Products and applications: Methodological guidance was developed which addresses the
main challenges practitioners encounter in the quantification of health effects from cycling and walking.
A “Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) for cycling” was developed which is being used in several
countries. Conclusions: There is a need for a more consistent approach to the quantification of health benefits
from cycling and walking. This project is providing guidance and an illustrative tool for cycling for practical
application. Results show that substantial savings can be expected. Such tools illustrate the importance of
considering health in transport policy and infrastructure planning, putting “Health in All Policies” into practice.
Kahlmeier, Sonja