So, I’ve always wondered about the general claims being made about how much cycling contributes to a healthy population.
So I asked ChatGPT a few incisive queries comparing life expectancy over the past 60 years, then asked it to summarise the results. It was a surprise to find that neither The Netherlands nor Denmark featured in the top 10 countries in the world (fig 1), nor the top 10 European countries (fig 2).
“Did you know that Switzerland, Italy, and Spain are among the top 10 European countries with the highest life expectancy, but have relatively low percentages of population using cycling as a mode of transportation? In contrast, the Netherlands and Denmark, which are well-known for their cycling culture, have a higher percentage of population using cycling but a lower life expectancy than some of their European counterparts. This highlights the complex interplay of various factors that contribute to health outcomes. When it comes to promoting healthy living and sustainable transportation, it’s important to consider a holistic approach that takes into account the unique context of each country.” #health#transportation#sustainability#cyclinglifestyle