A very recent and useful piece of work from the UK regarding the importance of Physical Activity and Design in Public Health... and worth quoting to Councils, Land Transport NZ etc.
The UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is an independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on the promotion of good health and the prevention and treatment of ill health.
This guidance offers the first national, evidence-based recommendations on how to improve the physical environment to encourage physical activity. It demonstrates the importance of such improvements and the need to evaluate how they impact on the public's health.