An active lifestyle is key to physical and mental well-being, and researchers have now pinpointed the best way to incorporate it into your routine: through your daily commute.
A recent study suggests that active daily travel, such as walking or cycling to work, is one of the most practical and sustainable methods to boost daily physical activity, reaping significant health benefits.
The researchers made the findings based on nationally representative data from the Scottish Longitudinal Study (SLS) in 2001 involving 82,297 participants who traveled to work or study in the UK. The participants were aged between 16 to 74. They were asked to report the mode of travel used for the longest part of their daily commute. Active travel was defined as either walking or cycling, while all other commuting methods were considered "inactive."
The researchers discovered that both forms of active commuting offer significant health benefits. Compared to sedentary commuting, these active methods notably reduced the risks of death, as well as mental and physical illnesses.
However, cycling had a particularly significant impact, 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 cardiovascular disease.
Cycling was also linked to a 30% lower risk of being prescribed medication for cardiovascular disease, a 51% lower risk of death from cancer, a 24% lower risk of hospitalization due to cancer, and a 20% lower risk of needing medication for mental health issues.
Meanwhile, commuting by walk reduced the risk of hospital admission from any cause by 11% and from cardiovascular disease by 10%. It also lowered the risk of being prescribed medication for cardiovascular disease and mental health issues by 10% and 7%, respectively.
However, cyclist commuters have twice the risk of getting admitted to hospital after a road traffic collision compared to inactive commuters. So researchers reinforce the need for having safer cycling infrastructure.
"This study strengthens the evidence that active commuting has population-level health benefits and can contribute to reduced morbidity and mortality. That cyclist and pedestrian commuting is associated with lower risks of being prescribed medication for poor mental health is an important finding. These findings provide direct evidence of the health benefits of active commuting in a Scottish context, supporting current policy. This study has wider global relevance to efforts to reduce carbon emissions and to shift to more active and sustainable travel modes," the researchers concluded.
