16/10/2025
Have you ever wondered how traffic stress, the built environment, and socioecological factors impact active transport choices among young adults?
Do you know that:
- 🚶♀️ Only 22.4% of Australian adults (18–64) meet national physical activity guidelines.
- 🚗 In 2022, 1,194 people lost their lives in road crashes across Australia — with 19% of these deaths among those aged 17–25, even though they make up only 11% of the population.
- 💪 Regular physical activity reduces the risk of breast cancer by 12%, endometrial cancer by 30%, and lowers the risks of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.
- The World Health Organization recommends 150–300 minutes of moderate or 75–150 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week for adults aged 18–64.
Our curious DPHD student, Irfan Arif, has investigated the above and taken his first step towards ensuring healthier, more equitable cities! 🚶♀️🚴♂️
The paper, “Impact of Traffic Stress, Built Environment, and Socioecological Factors on Active Transport Among Young Adults,” offers powerful insight into why many young adults choose not to engage in active transport (walking or cycling) despite the health and environmental benefits.
The study introduces two novel and innovative frameworks:
🚦 Daily Traffic Stress (DTS) – a time-sensitive measure of daily exposure to stressful traffic conditions.
👣 Stress-to-Step Ratio (SSR) – a novel indicator showing how road stress translates into fewer daily steps.
Together, these ideas highlight how safer streets, smarter city design, and supportive social environments can drive healthier, more active communities.
Congratulations to Irfan Arif on publishing his first PhD paper and to his supervisor, Dr. Fahim Ullah.
Read the full paper here: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/20/9159
University of Southern Queensland - Australia
