The benefits of cycling to work

Commuters who get on their bikes could dramatically reduce their risk of developing cancer and heart disease, according to a major study. People who cycle to work were 45% less likely to develop cancer and 46% less likely to suffer heart disease than those who drove or took public transport. Experts at the University of Glasgow spent five years tracking the health of more than 250,000 people. The study – one of the largest of its kind – also found walking to work carried health benefits, slashing the risk of dying from heart disease by more than a third. This advantage, however, applied mostly to people walking more than six miles per week. Dr Jason Gill, one of the researchers, advocated a “change in our infrastructure to make it easier to cycle to work”. “We need bike lanes, to make it easier to put bikes on trains and to get showers at work,” he said. His views are echoed by Professor Lars Bo Andersen. “The UK has neglected to build infrastructure to promote cycling for decades,” writes Andersen, who suggests we emulate bike-friendly cities such as Copenhagen, where “no car or bus can travel faster than a bike.” Bikes are the preferred mode of transport in the Danish capital for “more than 40% of all commuter trips”. In addition to reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease, “a shift from car to more active modes of travel will also decrease traffic in congested city centres and help to reduce air pollution, with further benefits for health”, Andersen added.