Walking, Biking to Work Pays Off

People who walk or cycle to work have fewer risk factors for heart disease, a
U.S. study has found.

The study included 2,364 men and women who worked outside the home. At physical
examinations conducted in 2005 and 2006, the participants reported details about
their commute to work, including length in minutes and miles, and the percentage
of the journey taken by car, public transit, walking or cycling.

The researchers found that 16.7 percent of the participants walked or cycled to
work (active commuting), and those men and women appeared to be more fit. Those
who were active commuters were less likely to be overweight or obese and had
healthier triglyceride, blood pressure and insulin levels.

The study, published in the July 13 issue of the journal Archives of Internal
Medicine, adds to evidence that cycling or walking to work improves health, said
Penny Gordon-Larsen of the School of Public Health, University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, and colleagues.

"Public support for policies that encourage active commuting has been shown,
particularly for individuals with experience using active commuting and with
positive attitudes toward walking and biking," they wrote. "Furthermore,
increasing active commuting will have the dual benefits of increasing population
health and in reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Environmental supports for
commuting, such as physical environment and sociocultural factors, have been
shown to promote active forms of commuting."

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