Biking to Work Could Cut Your Risk of Death in Half

Biking to work or school may lower your risk of death from any cause by almost 50%, a new study finds.

Researchers looked at the health benefits of active commuting versus inactive commuting and found both biking and walking strongly benefit physical and mental well-being.

The study included nearly 83,000 people in the UK, 16-74 years of age, who listed their mode of travel on a government census. The researchers compared their responses to hospital admissions and deaths for all causes, heart disease, cancer and traffic accidents, as well as prescriptions for mental health issues.

After nearly two decades of monitoring, cycling was associated with a 47% lower risk of death, a 10% lower risk of any hospital admission and a 24% lower risk of hospital admission for heart disease.

Cyclists also had 51% lower odds of dying of cancer and significantly lower odds of being prescribed drugs for heart disease or mental health issues. But they were twice as likely as inactive commuters to be admitted to the hospital after a traffic collision.

Walkers were found to have an 11% lower risk of hospital admission for any cause and a 10% lower risk of admission for heart disease.

They were also less likely to be on medications for heart or mental health conditions.

The authors say, “These findings provide direct evidence of the health benefits of active commuting” and support global efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

Source: BMJ Public Health

 Author Associations: Glasgow Centre for Population Health