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RESEARCH and STUDIES on HEALTH and FITNESS ISSUES

	Trails can be an effective way to involve more Americans in regular physical activity

Following are some key resources on the relation of physical activity to good health, with an emphasis on trails and outdoor recreation.

Recent studies evaluate trails and health

Active Living Research supports research to identify environmental factors and policies with potential to substantially increase levels of physical activity:

• What the Research Tells Us
• Designing for Active Recreation Fact Sheet
• Designing for Active Transportation Fact Sheet
• Comprehensive, transdisciplinary studies
• Many related literature citations

Healthy Parks Healthy People: The Health Benefits of Contact with Nature in a Park Context; Parks Victoria (Australia), November 2002 :

• A Review of Current Literature
• An Annotated Bibliography

How Land Use and Transportation Systems Impact Public Health: An Annotated Bibliography (pdf 636kb)

Does the Built Environment Influence Physical Activity? from Transportation Research Board

Development, Reliability and Validity Testing of the Path Environment Audit Tool, presented at Active Living Research Conference, 2005 (pdf 424kb)

More help with Trails & Health:

• Programs
• Resources
• Projects and studies

Related topics:

Accessible trails
Benefits of trails
Bike/Ped facilities
Economics
Greenways
Planning
Rails to Trails

More resources:

Cool trail solutions
Bibliography
Quotations
Glossary
Acronyms
Tools
Products & services

For more opportunities for training on trail design, construction, and management see the National Trails Training Partnership area.