Researchers found using transit in Charlotte helped shrink BMI

August 20, 2010

FACT: Transit options improve public health.  When it comes to transit, key headlining benefits are often limited to stronger connectivity and less automobile congestion.  However, transit options do more then move people efficiently - they improve quality life by serving as a catalyst for healthier, more active lifestyles.  Transit users walk and bike more every day and spend less time commuting to work, leaving more time for recreational activities, cooking healthier meals, and relaxing with family and friends.  All of these benefits collectively enhance public health, particularly in regions with a variety of transit options.

A study in the August American Journal of Preventive Medicine looked at what happened to people who started taking Charlotte's light rail transit after the Lynx line opened in 2007. It found that people who regularly took the light rail lost weight.  Click here to read more of 'Ride more, weigh less?  Study links Lynx with loss'.