WHO launches update of the Health economic assessment tool (HEAT) for walking and cyling

HEAT is an online tool to appraise the health benefits from cycling and from walking by estimating the value of reduced mortality that results from specified amounts of regular physical activity, i.e. cycling or walking.

HEAT is intended for a wide variety of professionals working in the field of transport, walking, cycling or the environment. It facilitates population-wide assessment, translating the effects of active travel (walking and cycling) measures into a quantitative evidence-based, evaluation.

The tool can be used in a number of different situations, for example:

• when planning a new piece of cycling or walking infrastructure.
• to value the reduced mortality from past and/or current levels of cycling or walking.
• to provide input into more comprehensive economic appraisal exercises, or prospective health impact assessments.

The new user guide can be found here.

Find out more about the current HEAT tool by clicking here.