There are many ways to reduce your risk of developing fatal diseases like heart disease and cancer, and one of them is by cycling to work, according to a new study.
The study, which was conducted by a team of experts at the University of Glasgow, revealed that cycling to work can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer by almost half (45% and 46% respectively).
The said study published in the British Medical Journal involved about 250,000 commuters in the UK and compared commuters who walked, those who cycled and those who were only sitting only during their commute (taking public transport or riding a car).
The results revealed that cycling was the most beneficial to health among the three ways of commuting. Dr. Carlos Celis-Morales said that although walking is linked to lower risk of heart disease, cycling has benefits in reducing the risk of both heart disease and cancer.
This may be because walkers commuted shorter distances than cyclists, typically six miles per week, compared with 30 miles per week, and walking is generally a lower intensity of exercise than cycling.
Cycling is easier than going to the gym
While going to the gym has health benefits, it needs will power in order to be consistent. The study team in Glasgow, however, mentioned that cycling doesn’t need as much motivation as compared with going to the gym. They said that cycling becomes part of one’s routine once they start using it to go to work.
As a conclusion, the study mentioned that initiatives that encourage and support active commuting may help reduce risk of death and the burden of critical chronic diseases.
