Being active on your commute lowers risk of disease and mental health

Getting physically active on the way to work may come with serious health benefits down the line, according to new research that spans nearly two decades in Scotland.

The analysis included more than 82,000 people ages 16 to 74 in 2001, and followed their health outcomes over 18 years. 

Researchers from the University of Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh considered people to be “active commuters” if they primarily cycled or walked to work or school, and “inactive commuters” if they used any other mode of transportation.

They found that over time, inactive commuters had a much higher risk of death, disease, and mental health issues compared with those who cycled or walked.

Cyclists saw the bulk of the benefits, with a 47 per cent lower risk of death overall compared with inactive commuters, including a 51 per cent lower risk of dying from cancer, according to the study, published in the journal BMJ Public Health.

Cyclists also were 10 per cent less likely to be hospitalised, 20 per cent less likely to be prescribed drugs for mental health issues, and less likely to have problems from heart disease.

Meanwhile, walkers were 11 per cent less likely to be hospitalised, 10 per cent less likely to need medicine to treat heart disease, and 7 per cent less likely to have a prescription for mental health issues compared with inactive commuters.

More likely to be young, shift workers

“The more you do it, the safer you are,” Jim Walker, the founder and director of the UK-based Walk21 Foundation which advises national and local governments on pedestrian-friendly policies, told Euronews Health. He was not involved with the study.

In general, walkers and cyclists were more likely to be young, shift workers, and live in a city, and less likely to be caregivers or own their homes.

Researchers accounted for potential factors that could affect the results, such as people’s pre-existing conditions, age, gender, and socioeconomic traits. 

But the study is observational, so they can’t say for sure whether people’s commuting choices directly impacted their health.

The findings align with previous studies that show a strong link between the built environment and health outcomes such as diabetes and obesity. 

Meanwhile, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), physical inactivity causes 1 million deaths per year in Europe.

Notably, the new study found that cycling wasn’t a risk-free choice. Cyclists were twice as likely as inactive commuters to wind up in the hospital after a traffic accident.

Need for safe infrastructure

Study authors said the finding “reinforces the need for safer cycling infrastructure,” and the overall results have “wider global relevance to efforts to reduce carbon emissions and shift to more active and sustainable travel modes”.

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While they noted that few people in Scotland are active commuters, the government plans to invest £320 million (€380.6 million) in active travel by 2025.

Other European countries and cities are also taking steps to boost active travel. Paris, for example, has added bike lanes and aims to make the entire city suitable for cyclists by 2026, though the plan has faced some delays.

The European Union also released guidelines in 2021 to help cities prioritise public transportation, walking, and cycling, over cars.

“There’s a huge momentum that is now out there” and cities are now “recognising the added value of investing in walking and cycling, and supporting people,” Walker said. 

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“We’re also talking about access and inclusion and equity, and we’re talking about climate and certainly joining those agendas up”.