Cycling to work reduces heart attack and stroke risk by 24% researchers find*
“As people start returning to work now is a good time to rethink your transportation options,”
Jesse Slome, director of the American Association of Critical Illness Insurance
Walking or cycling to work is better than commuting by car
Researchers at the Imperial College London and the University of Cambridge suggest that walking and cycling to work may reduce deaths from heart disease and cancer.
The researchers analyzed data based on over 390,000 commuters in England and Wales. The study was just, published in The Lancet Planetary Health. Using Census data the research tracked the same people for up to 25 years, between 1991-2016.
Compared to workers who drove to and from their jobs, those who cycled or walked to work had an overall 20 per cent reduced rate of early death.
“As people start returning to work now is a good time to rethink your transportation options,” says Jesse Slome, director of the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. “If you are able to walk or cycle, there are short term and now clearly longer-term health benefits. Businesses and governments should encourage and make it easier for more people to walk and cycle.”
11 percent reduced risk of cancer diagnosis
The researchers revealed that walking to work was associated with a 7 per cent reduced rate in cancer diagnosis. That compared to driving. The study also assessed whether the benefits of each mode of travel differed between occupational groups. They report that potential health benefits were similar across these groups.
Compared with people who commuted by car, bicycle commuters had an overall 20% reduced rate of (all-cause) mortality. They have a 24% reduced rate of cardiovascular mortality. Cardiovascular disease includes heart attack and strokes. Cyclists also had an 11% reduced rate of incident cancer. Bicyclists had a 16% reduced rate of cancer mortality.
Commuters who walked to their jobs had a 7% lower rate of incident cancer. Public transport commuters also had a 7% lower rate of incident cancer compared with commuters using a car.
Tips for heart attacks and critical illness insurance planning
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