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A team of researchers from Glasgow University in Scotland found that people who bike to work slash their risk of dying from any cause by a whopping 41%, relative to those who drive or take public transit.
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The five-year study of more than 260 000 commuters in the UK found that among the commuters – half men, half women, with an average age of 53 – those who rode their bike to work also lowered their risk of heart disease by 46% and their risk of cancer by 45%.
Though longer bike commutes bestowed the greatest benefits upon study subjects, even short jaunts across town appeared to help beat disease.
On average, the bike commuters reported riding about 50km a week – 10km a day, round trip.
Even those who combined public transportation and cycling (such as taking the bus or train part way) enjoyed a 24% decreased risk of premature death from any cause.
Even if your commute is too long to do by bike alone, consider using your bike to run errands whenever you can.
This article was originally published on www.bicyling.co.za
Image credit: iStock
