The risk of having heart disease and cancer is getting more common nowadays, especially during our later years in life. That's why a flurry of health advertisements featuring vitamins, healthy snacks, or fitness regimens usually take over in television shows and social media feeds, in order to promote a healthier lifestyle and avoid getting these kinds of diseases.
But sometimes, work and other responsibilities hinder us from devoting more time to properly take care of ourselves. But in a five-year study made by experts at the University of Glasgow, it shows that by simply cycling to and from work as opposed to riding private vehicles or public transport can cut the risk of having cancer by 45 percent, heart disease by 46 percent, and even death itself from any cause by 41 percent, according to BBC News.
About 264,337 people were subjected to the medical study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). Of which, 2,430 died, more than 3,700 were diagnosed with cancer, and over 1,100 suffered from several heart problems. The people who rode bicycles on the way to work, however, were shown to be much healthier.
"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", said Dr. Carlos Celis-Morales from the University of Glasgow through Metro UK. "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."
Because of this, those who pioneered the medical research are calling for a change in policy, like building more cycling lanes to promote cycling as a healthier form of commute. But to those who can't devote a hundred percent of their time cycling to and from work, the research also shows that combining cycling and riding PUVs as a form of commute have lots of health benefits too.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
