Cycling to Work Lowers Risk of Heart Disease and Cancer

The most common way in which employees commute to work is automobile. Even if an individual works right around the corner from his or her home, they probably drive. It's a fast and convenient method of transportation that's become the de-facto standard for millions of daily commuters. While more time consuming, riding a bike to work could offer some substantial health advantages that aren't otherwise available in driving a car.

According to a recent study published in the British Medical Journal, riding a bike to work lowers the risk of heart disease and even some types of cancer. For the study, researchers from Glasgow, England followed more than 260,000 U.K. citizens over the course of five years, paying close attention to their method of commute as well as their health and susceptibility to disease. So, what did they find?

At the end of the five-year study, researchers conducted that participants who regularly commuted to and from work by riding a bicycle were 45% less likely to develop cancer, 46% less likely to develop heart disease and 41% less likely to die from all causes than their counterparts who drove to work.

Researchers say that cyclists in this study cycled for roughly 30 miles a week. Some participants, however, exceeded this amount -- and they experienced even greater benefits. Participants who cycled the most during their commutes had the lowest risk of developing the aforementioned diseases.

Of course, other types of active commuting also offered health benefits. Participants who walked to work, for instance, had a lower risk of developing heart disease than their counterparts who drove to work. With that said, these benefits were really only noticeable in participants who walked at least 30 miles a week.

"Cycle commuting was associated with a lower risk of CVD, cancer, and all cause mortality. Walking commuting was associated with a lower risk of CVD independent of major measured confounding factors. Initiatives to encourage and support active commuting could reduce risk of death and the burden of important chronic conditions," wrote the study's authors.

The bottom line is that active commuting is good for your health and should be considered as an alternative to driving. As revealed in this study, it lowers your risk of developing heart disease and cancer, as well as lowering your risk of early mortality. Unfortunately, not everyone has the ability to walk or cycle to work. If you live across town -- or in a completely different different -- this may not be feasible. Nonetheless, you can still reap these benefits by maintaining an active lifestyle.