QuixoticgeekFeb 5

So my toot about helmet laws increasing heart disease has got a few replies by people wondering wtf. The way it works is that mandatory helmet laws reduce cycling, fewer people cycling results in an increase in obesity related illnesses like heart disease and diabetes.

One of, if not rhe best, things that a government can do to improve health at a population level is increasing active travel (walking and cycling).

1/n

https://theconversation.com/ditching-bike-helmets-laws-better-for-health-42

Ditching bike helmets laws better for health

With epidemics of diabetes and obesity threatening to bankrupt state health budgets, governments need to broaden their strategies to encourage physical activity. Allowing cyclists to ride without a helmet…

The Conversation
Show threadDeane Barker
@quixoticgeek A similar situation: if children were forced to be in a car seat in airplanes, then parents would have to buy an extra ticket for all children, including babies and toddlers. This would drive up the cost of travel, making them more likely to drive instead. A mile spent driving is far more dangerous than a mile spent flying, so vastly more children would die on the highways than would be saved by car seats.
Feb 5 at 11:19amWeb