Dutch Cycling: Quantifying the Health and Related Economic Benefits

The Netherlands is well known for their high bicycle use. We used the Health Economic Assessment Tool and life table calculations to quantify the population-level health benefits from Dutch cycling levels. Cycling prevents about 6500 deaths each year, and Dutch people have half-a-year-longer life expectancy because of cycling. These health benefits correspond to more than 3% of the Dutch gross domestic product. Our study confirmed that investments in bicycle-promoting policies (e.g., improved bicycle infrastructure and facilities) will likely yield a high cost–benefit ratio in the long term.The Netherlands is well known for their high cycling levels.1,2 Currently, about 27% of all trips in the Netherlands are made by bicycle.3 Investments in bicycle paths, bicycle parking, traffic calming, and other policies contribute to these high cycling levels; therefore, the Dutch approach is internationally recognized as an example for other countries.1,2 Although the health benefits of cycling as a means to reduce the risk of sedentary lifestyle diseases and all-cause mortality are well known,4–6 no previous study has actually quantified the health benefits and related economic benefits at a population level in the Netherlands, which has the highest level of bicycle use in the world.1 Quantifying and monetizing these benefits are important to inform policymakers in the field of transport.7 Therefore, we examined the health benefits and health-related economic benefits of population cycling levels in the Netherlands.