Jim Richards. (Photo by Wade Payne of AP.)

Jim Richards of Knoxville, Tennessee, 51, attributes his 20-pound weight loss to commuting to work on bicycle. Richards commutes every day to work and back. That’s 40 minutes of exercise every day, before he even steps into a gym.

He’s one of the healthy success stories that can be tied to what’s referred to as active transportation: people who leave the car keys at home and commute to work by foot or pedal. Or maybe it’s just taking that quick trip to the grocery store on your bike instead behind the wheel.

There’s a new study that came up with results that aren’t exactly shocking: Countries that have the highest rate of citizens who walk, bike, or even use public transportation to get around town have the lowest rates of obesity.