Exploring the association between public transit use and overweight and obesity: Evidence from Taiwan's county-level panel data
Journal
Journal of Transport and Health
Journal Volume
48
Start Page
102290
ISSN
22141405
Date Issued
2026-05
Author(s)
Lin, Fang-Yu
Abstract
Public transportation systems are essential not only for enhancing mobility and environmental sustainability but also as a potential policy lever to improve population health. Although obesity rates continue to rise globally amid increasingly sedentary lifestyles, the health effects of public transit usage have been understudied in Asian contexts. This study examines the relationship between public transit usage and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Taiwan, using county-level panel data from 2009 to 2022, compiled from the National Travel Survey and the Exercise Current Situation Survey. We employed fixed-effect regression models to estimate the impact of transit use on weight-related health outcomes. The results indicate that a one-percentage point increase in county-level public transit modal share is associated with a 0.33percentage point decrease in the prevalence of overweight and obesity, after controlling for higher education attainment and physical activity. Despite Taiwan's public transit usage remaining below 20%, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has exceeded 40%, underscoring a critical public health challenge. These findings suggest a potential link between increased transit use and lower overweight and obesity prevalence, and may provide preliminary evidence to support further investigation into the role of sustainable transportation in promoting public health. Integration of transportation and health perspectives may offer opportunities for policy alignment in pursuit of sustainable urban development and improved population well-being.
Subjects
Active transport
BMI
Obesity
Overweight
Public transit
Public transport
Publisher
Elsevier Ltd
Type
journal article