Study finds best way to commute to work for physical and mental health

An dynamic lifestyle is key to physical and mental well-being, and scientists have revealed the best way to incorporate it into your daily routine: through your daily commute to work.

Recent test suggests that daily dynamic travel, such as walking or cycling to work, is one of the most practical and sustainable ways to escalate daily physical activity, with significant health benefits.

The researchers based their findings on nationally representative data from the 2001 Scottish Longitudinal Study (SLS), which included 82,297 participants who travelled to work or study in the UK. Participants were aged between 16 and 74. They were asked to report the mode of travel they used for the longest commute. Dynamic travel was defined as walking or cycling, while all other methods of commuting were considered ‘inactive’.

The researchers found that both forms of dynamic commuting offer significant health benefits. Compared with sedentary commuting, these dynamic methods significantly reduce the risk of death, as well as mental and physical illness.

However, cycling had a particularly significant effect, being associated with a 47% lower risk of death, a 10% lower risk of hospitalisation and a 24% lower risk of hospitalisation for cardiovascular disease.

Cycling was also associated with a 30% lower risk of being prescribed medication for cardiovascular disease, a 51% lower risk of dying from cancer, a 24% lower risk of being hospitalized for cancer and a 20% lower risk of needing medication for mental health problems.

Meanwhile, walking reduced the risk of being admitted to hospital for any cause by 11% and for cardiovascular disease by 10%. It also reduced the risk of being prescribed medication for cardiovascular disease and mental health problems by 10% and 7%, respectively.

However, commuter cyclists are twice as likely to be admitted to hospital after a road accident compared to inactive commuters, which is why researchers are highlighting the need for safer cycling infrastructure.

“This study strengthens the evidence that dynamic commuting has health benefits at a population level and may contribute to reducing morbidity and mortality. The fact that cycling and walking commuting are associated with a lower risk of prescribed medication for destitute mental health is an vital finding. These findings provide direct evidence of the health benefits of dynamic commuting in the context of Scotland, supporting current policy. This study has wider global implications for efforts to reduce carbon emissions and transition to more dynamic and sustainable modes of transport,” the researchers concluded.