Cycling To Work Can Cut Cancer & Heart Disease Risk

[AB Editor]

Do you think it has to be to work? After all, for many, this would be the most dangerous part of the day to be on the roads:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-39641122

[Khandro]

If it is in town, I think the advantages may be offset by the intake of carbon monoxide, better to go for a ride in the country.

[Resolute]

If you are under a bus or a lorry you are well protected from anything.

[Sqad]

It's only "fit" folks that would even think of taking a cycle to work.....so clearly, someone who is "fit" is less likely do suffer cardiovascular disease or cancer.
I am not sure that cycling to work has anything to do with it.

[ChillDoubt]

By way of encouragement I actually sent this link earlier to all my friends and colleagues who live within 3 miles of their workplace, but I don't hold out much hope.

[chelle7272]

I think it is blindingly obvious that walking or cycling would help wiuth your health as opposed to sitting, not sure why it needs to be to or from work though.

[aelmpvw]

if i lived three miles from my workplace i'd walk it

[ChillDoubt]

It's only "fit" folks that would even think of taking a cycle to work.....so clearly, someone who is "fit" is less likely do suffer cardiovascular disease or cancer.
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I'd have to disagree. It's all about changing a mindset. I wasn't fit 3 years ago but via diet and cycling I've lost 6 stone and feel infinitely better for it.
It's all about changing attitudes and lifestyles really.

[Old_Geezer]

By what percentage of what percentage ? And how does that compare to the additional injuries and death to folk caused by recklessly going on to roads full of motorised vehicles on self powered mechanism with no protection, deliberately choosing to risk themselves, knowing they will blame the drivers for being only human and either not noticing or failing to compensate for the risk takers' gung ho lifestyle and errors ?

[Sqad]

Chilli

"It's all about changing attitudes and lifestyles really."

I agree, but we have known that for decades and it has been "pushed down our throats" for as long as i can remember, but as a whole, we are getting fatter, greater incidence of vascular disease and cancer.
I am not convinced.....certainly not convinced about exercise and cancer.

[ChillDoubt]

"pushed down our throats" for as long as i can remember, but as a whole, we are getting fatter, greater incidence of vascular disease and cancer.
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Obviously not pushed hard enough if we're getting fatter with each passing generation.
The whole infrastructure within the country must change if future generations are to get the benefits. Proper cycle highways, not 200 metres of orange lane dotted about here and there. As that won't happen any time soon we've got to encourage people to get off their fat a#+€* and I include myself in that statement!

[AB Editor]

Yes, without infrastructure in place, there's no way cycling can become a natural form of commuting for people. The busway from St.Ives to Cambridge is a really good example of how you can encourage this kind of thing. Do that all over the country and you'd not only encourage more working people to commute by bike, but also allow those in more remote areas to be connected back to their local communities without having to rely on driving.

[dannyk13]

I hope that it might be true. I do 10km a day, five days a week on my exercise cycle.

[sunny-dave]

It is about mindset - but also one can take deliberate steps (pun intended) to force oneself into a less inert lifestyle.

We decided not to hire a car for our current birding trip, but to concentrate on areas within walking distance - this has already changed our modus operandi from "drive and then walk a bit" to "how far can we walk today" - plus we have to do all the shopping on foot. Our step counts are already over double the usual average from previous trips here.

But ... it also means we can all have a drink when we pass a bar on our trips - which is both a good and (from a calorific point of view) bad thing ...

[youngmafbog]

These findings are simply to get more cycle lanes by party with a vested interest IMHO.

Does it cut Cancer, I am very sceptical of that.

[AB Editor]

Although, you have to run as well to live longer: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/12/well/move/an-hour-of-running-may-add-seven-hours-to-your-life.html?_r=0

[dannyk13]

I'm afraid that if I ran for an hour it would wear out the carpet.

[ludwig]

It has to be to work Ed. Other destinations don't have the same health benefits. That's why I always cycle to work but get the bus home.

[gness]

Cycling to work wouldn't have helped me......I worked in a room at the top of my house...the stairs would have been a problem....
But, if Young is right, anything that gives us more cycle lanes gets my vote.....I don't know about cancer etc but I know that most cyclists are cheery and pleasant (and so many motorists can be a bit grumpy) so arriving at work in a cheery pleasant mood can't be a bad thing.....x

[aelmpvw]

you must be accumulating quite a collection of bikes at work ludwig

[Khandro]

I can see how cycling could help prevent heart disease but not cancer, Lance Armstrong had it when he was a world class athlete in his 20's