Cycling can reduce the risk of early death by 47%, study says
A new study has found that cyclists have a 47 percent lower risk of premature death and a 10 percent lower risk of hospitalization for any reason than commuters who travel by car or train. The study was published in BMJ Public Health of British researchers, said: “This study reinforces the evidence that active commuting provides health benefits at the population level and can contribute to reducing morbidity and mortality.”
Over 82,000 residents of the UK, aged between 16 and 74 at the start of the study, were followed for 18 years. During the census, people reported which mode of transport they usually used to get to work. Records of their prescriptions, hospital stays and deaths were also examined by the researchers.
Interestingly, walking or cycling was considered “active” mode of transport. Any other mode of transport, such as driving, was considered “inactive”. It is noteworthy that pedestrians tended to be women, working shifts, walking short distances in the city to school or work. Cyclists tended to be men, shift workers, living in the city but not owning their own home.
Those who cycled to work were associated with a 51 percent lower risk of dying from cancer, a 24 percent lower risk of being hospitalized for heart disease and a 20 percent lower risk of being prescribed medication for mental health problems, even after controlling for factors such as age and underlying medical conditions. However, cycling commuters were twice as likely to be hospitalized after a road accident as “inactive” commuters.
The authors said: “Our finding that cyclists are twice as likely to be road traffic victims as commuters who are not active highlights the need for safer cycling infrastructure.”
Walking to work reduced the likelihood of receiving a prescription for psychotropic medication by 7 percent and the risk of being hospitalized for any reason by 11 percent.
However, the study has limitations as the census results only cover a limited period of time. In addition, the prescription records used in the study only went back to 2009.
“The fact that commuting by bike or on foot is associated with a lower risk of being prescribed medication for mental health problems is an important finding,” the researchers said. They added: “These findings provide direct evidence of the health benefits of active commuting in the Scottish context and support current policy. This study has wider global relevance to efforts to reduce carbon emissions and switch to more active and sustainable modes of transport.”
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