There has been continual research going on the benefits of cycling to work and back. The statistics and figures have consistently shown the staggering health benefits of it. It suggests that people who cycle to work automatically get the benefits of it and are more active, physically fit and less likely to develop any health issues such as heart disease and type II diabetes. They even are less likely to die younger. Cycling provides the same benefits as any other exercise which is dramatically and disastrously on the decline.
The primary reason for people unable to prioritize exercise is the many demands on time that is short. Cycling helps in multi-tasking just like walking to work that provides remarkable effects to your health.
Different Medical Journals all over the world publishes articles and reports on the benefits of cycling to work and back along with the detailed important implications of it. Such studies also suggest that councils and governments must make an effort to make it a top priority and to encourage people to commute on their bikes in place of the car.
The findings
Cycling to work is sometimes referred to as active commuting by the experts. This exercise is however still not very popular. The European countries are still come clear of 3% people involved in such activity while a significant 11% walk to their workplace. While on the other end of the metric system, there are countries that have as many as 43% men cycling to work daily and 30% females doing the same.
Studies are conducted on people of different age groups, especially those above 50 years to have a better and clear understanding of Unlimited Biking. Irrespective of the fact that the person is self-employed or is in paid employment, most of these people did not work from the comfort of their homes. Most of these participants in the study usually travel to work in a car or by public transportation. Only a handful of people walked to their office and even a lower percent use a bike as their mode of transportation. However, there are a few who use both cycling and walking as a combination.
The process followed
When people are asked about their preferences and availed mode of transport, each are grouped into five different categories such as:
-
Non-active commuters who travel in car or a public transport
-
Walking only commuters
-
Commuters who combined cycling as well as walked
-
Mixed-mode commuters who walk as well as prefer non-active transportation and
-
Mixed-mode commuters who cycle and also prefer non-active as well as walking mode.
All these commuters are usually studied for a long time say for five years. During this period there are things noted and each fact and finding is recorded. These factors include:
-
Incidences of any heart disease among commuters
-
Cancers or death caused by cancer
-
Influences in sex and age
-
Deprivation and ethnicity
-
Smoking and body mass index
-
Any other type of physical activity and
-
Time spent sitting down and on diet.
Apart from that any potential difference in the risks associated with the road accidents are also accounted for. The entire findings are then analyzed.
The Facts And Figures
The statistical figures of the studies on biking showed that Unlimited Biking resulted in 41% lower risk of dying prematurely when compared overall with those that commute usually by car or any public transport.
Studies also show that cycle commuters had a lower risk by 52% of dying from any heart disease and a significant 40% of commuters had a lower risk of dying from cancer. Apart from that people who cycle to work had a lower risk of developing any heart disease by 46% and that for developing cancer at all was lower by 45%.
On the other hand, people who walk their way to work had nothing to do with the risk factor of dying from any or all of the issues. However, the walkers did have a lower risk by 27% of heart disease and a staggering 36% lower chance of dying from such heart ailments.
Considering the mixed-mode cyclists, they enjoyed 24% lower risk of dying from any or all causes. Apart from that, they also had a 32% lower risk of developing cancer and the percentage of dying from it was 36% lower. They did not have any significant percentage of lower risk of any heart disease.
While on the other hand, mixed-mode walkers did not have any significant effect on any of the health outcomes analyzed.
Few general facts
When the cyclists and walkers are considered together it is found that both had a tendency of greater lowering of the risk factors, especially those who cycled or walked longer distances. In addition to that, it was seen that commuters who cycled a part of the way to their workplace still enjoyed the health benefits. This is a very important finding to encourage people who live too far away from their workplace as they may find it very difficult to cycle the entire distance.
However, the health benefits enjoyed by the walkers are found to be the most modest and that may be due to the distance factor associated with it. This means the walkers usually travel fewer miles as compared to the bikers which is statistically one-fifth of the distance traversed by the cyclists per week. It also means that the walkers will have to travel longer distance in order to elicit significant benefits to balance the actions and effects of their less intense activity.
Previous uncertainties resolved
Recent studies are better and more effective than the previous ones as the results are more defined and substantial. Though build on the facts and findings of the previous studies, the relation between cycling to work and the health benefits enjoyed through it are more clearly analyzed, defined and explained.
All previous uncertainties are resolved that were associated with cancer, heart disease and diabetes. All in all, the studies of today shows that cycling to work is more beneficial than walking and are significantly beneficial than availing non-active mode of transportation.
Author Bio:
Sujain Thomas is an experienced blogger who has written articles for several renowned blogs and websites about various uses of Travelling, Bike Riding, Bike Rentals etc. To know more about please visit Unlimited Biking.
