Scotland has one of the highest levels of obesity in OECD countries with over a million adults and over 150,000 children obese. This is predicted to worsen with adult obesity levels reaching over 40% by 2030. Overweight and obesity brings with it a risk of disease and a cost to society that will directly impact on our ability to achieve sustainable economic growth. This situation is avoidable.

With fuel costs soaring and environmental conservation in vogue, the bicycle is making a comeback in many cities, becoming a major part of urban transportation plans.

Men's website AskMen.com has come up with a list of the world's top most bicycle-friendly cities. Reuters has not endorsed this list:

1. Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The New Zealand Transport Agency is to be asked to investigate making high-visibility vests and brightly coloured helmets compulsory for cyclists as a result of the death of a Dunedin man who was struck by a vehicle on State Highway 1 near Allanton last year.

Otago-Southland region coroner David Crerar will also recommend the agency investigate making the use of headlights compulsory at all times for vehicles on the open road, to make them as visible as possible to other road users.

David Darlington's stirring narrative shows the devastating price paid by cyclists when the legal system and society fail to hold drivers accountable for deadly recklessness on our roads.

This article hits home on the issues for advocates in preventing/responding to tragic collisions by motorists with cyclists...

Bikes@Work is a Melbourne-based business helping to promote workplace health and sustainability through active transport initiatives.

Active transport (such as walking and cycling) has an important role to play in reducing transport costs, congestion, air pollution, promoting health and enhancing the safety and livability of our cities.

In these times of high gas prices, a warming climate, increasing traffic congestion, and expanding waistlines, increasing bicycling and walking are goals that are clearly in the public interest. As this report shows, where bicycling and walking levels are higher, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes levels are lower.

Higher levels of bicycling and walking also coincide with increased bicycle and pedestrian safety and higher levels of physical activity. Increasing bicycling and walking can help solve many of the largest problems facing our nation.

As this report indicates, many states and cities are making progress toward promoting safe access for bicyclists and pedestrians, but much more remains to be done.

If you're thinking about traveling to Buenos Aires, consider taking your bike with you. The promise of 100 kilometers of new bike paths is becoming a reality with new safe, separated-from-traffic lanes popping up in different parts of the city. Take a look at the map inside.

Cyclists' lobby group CTC said the report needed to focus on driver behaviour rather than issues such as cyclists wearing helmets.

A tiny proportion of accidents involving cyclists are caused by riders jumping red lights or stop signs, or failing to wear high-visibility clothing and use lights, a government-commissioned study has discovered.