Cycling to work cuts risk of early death, study finds

New research by the University of Glasgow and published in the BMJ, has found that cycling to work is associated with a 41 per cent reduction in the risk of a premature death from diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

This scientists analysed data from 264,337 participants from UK Biobank who were asked questions about their usual mode of commuting to work and then followed up for five years. The new cases of cancer, heart attacks and deaths in that five-year period were assessed and related to their mode of commuting.

The study highlighted that cyclers had a 45 per cent lower risk of developing cancer and a 46 per cent lower risk of heart disease, compared to a non-active commute. Walking to work was associated with 27 per cent lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease and a 36 per cent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, but not cancer or premature death overall.

The researchers speculated that greater benefits were seen with cycling compared to walking because cycle commuters covered longer distances in their commutes than the walkers, with the intensity of cycling higher than walking meaning cycle commuters had higher levels of fitness

The researchers outlined that policies designed to make it easier for people to commute by bike may present major opportunities for public health improvement.

Dr Jason Gill, from the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, said: “Cycling all or part of the way to work was associated with substantially lower risk of adverse health outcomes. Those who cycled the full length of their commute had an over 40 per cent lower risk of heart disease, cancer and overall mortality over the five years of follow-up.

“If these associations are causal, these findings suggest that policies designed to make it easier for people to commute by bike, such as cycle lanes, city bike hire, subsidised cycle purchase schemes and increasing provision for cycles on public transport may present major opportunities for public health improvement.”

Dr Carlos Celis-Morales, co-athor, said: “Walking to work was associated with lower risk of heart disease, but unlike cycling was not associated with a significantly lower risk of cancer or overall death. This may be because walkers commuted shorter distances than cyclists – typically 6 miles per week, compared with 30 miles per week – and walking is generally a lower intensity of exercise than cycling.”