Biking to work halves risk of death by illness and is good for mental health, new study finds

The study, which was carried out by researchers at the University of Glasgow and published in BMJ Public Health, found that cyclists had a 47 per cent lower risk of death from any cause, compared with people who travel to work by car or public transport, and a 51 per cent lower risk of dying from cancer.

People who cycle to work are 20 per cent less likely to receive a prescription for a mental health-related condition. Photograph: iStock/Olaser

People who cycle to work are also 10 per cent less likely to be hospitalised for any medical condition – rising to 24 per cent for hospitalisations related to cardiovascular diseases and cancer. In addition, they are 20 per cent less likely to receive a prescription for a mental health-related condition.

Paradoxically, however, the study also found that bicycle commuters are twice as likely as non-active commuters to be hospitalised due to a traffic collision.

In response to this statistic, the study’s authors said: “Given the substantial planned investment in active travel in Scotland, our finding that cyclist commuters have twice the risk of being a road traffic casualty compared with non-active commuters reinforces the need for safer cycling infrastructure.”

There are also health benefits for people who walk to work, although not to the same extent as for bike commuters. The study found that pedestrian commuters had a nine per cent lower risk of any hospitalisation than non-active commuters and a seven per cent lower risk of receiving a prescription for a mental health-related condition.

The researchers tracked just over 82,000 people from the 2001 Scottish Census for a period of almost 20 years and analysed health data. They concluded that active commuting “has clear health benefits and can be an effective way to accommodate physical activity into everyday working life”.

However, the authors noted that the shift towards hybrid and remote working practices since the Covid-19 pandemic could reduce the opportunity for people to walk or bike to their workplace.

“This study strengthens the evidence that active commuting has population-level health benefits and can contribute to reduced morbidity and mortality. That cyclist and pedestrian commuting is associated with lower risks of being prescribed medication for poor mental health is an important finding,” said the researchers, adding that the study “has wider global relevance to efforts to reduce carbon emissions and to shift to more active and sustainable travel modes.”

The study was led by Catherine Friel, David Walsh and Bruce Whyte.