More on health and driving ourselves into the grave

WaPo has a story today about the health consequences of places like Salem and Oregon having massively funded bureaucracies dedicated to the vision of more roadways and "roadway performance standards" that drive even more road construction projects in a perfect spiral of futility:

New research illustrates the health benefits of regular biking, walking or taking public transportation to work, school or shopping. Researchers found a link between "active transportation" and less obesity in 17 industrialized countries across Europe, North America and Australia.

"Countries with the highest levels of active transportation generally had the lowest obesity rates," authors David Bassett of the University of Tennessee and John Pucher of Rutgers University conclude.

Americans, with the highest rate of obesity, were the least likely to walk, cycle or take mass transit, according to the study in a recent issue of the Journal of Physical Activity and Health. The study relied on each country's own travel and health data.