Cycling is the mode of transport with the greatest health benefits - News aa

Search News

Results: 71-80 of 128


V12 address change

8 Sep 2022

Make sure your V12 Retail Finance contact details are correct by updating your records. 
Read more…

It’s Cycle September

5 Sep 2022

There’s still time for bike shops to urge their customers to get involved with Cycle September, the world’s biggest group ride.
Read more…

How to cycle safely in cities

5 Sep 2022

With more people heading back into cities and offices after the pandemic, the topic of road safety has never been more important. Especially for cyclists, it’s vital to be aware of the... Read more…

More people leaving shops without paying amid cost-of-living crisis

1 Sep 2022

Home Office data has shown more customers leaving shops, restaurants and petrol stations without paying as the cost-of-living crisis bites. The data shows there were 51,486 offences of... Read more…

Charity ramps up financial advice for independent retailers

31 Aug 2022

Industry charity GroceryAid has teamed up with Business Debtline to provide support and guidance to the growing number of independent retailers facing debt and unpaid invoices.
The move... Read more…

TRA proposes to lower import tariff rates for Chinese e-bike manufacturers

25 Aug 2022

The Trade Remedies Authority, the UK body that investigates whether new trade remedy measures are needed to counter unfair import practices and unforeseen surges of imports, has proposed that... Read more…

GPs to prescribe cycling to help improve mental & physical health

24 Aug 2022

The Department for Transport has announced a £12.7m trial to begin later this year, in which GPs in England will be able to prescribe walking or cycling as a way of improving mental and... Read more…

Cyber security only prioritised by businesses after a data breach, DCMS reports

23 Aug 2022

Government research has revealed that UK businesses only begin to appreciate the importance of cyber security once the business has sustained a “serious” attack.
Read more…

A bike technician's secrets to keeping your bike on the road

10 Mar 2022

From daily commuters to World Cup racers Jack has maintained and kept thousands of bikes on the road and now teaches other mechanics to do the same, delivering Cytech qualifications and sharing... Read more…

Going to the Cycle Show? Learn technical tips with seminars presented by Cytech experts - stand G531

24 Feb 2022

Cytech are attending the Cycle Show and will be demonstrating key practices in bike maintenance that are useful for both the trade and... Read more…

Back to news menu

Cycling is the mode of transport with the greatest health benefits

Posted on in Cycles News

A study carried out in seven European cities highlights the role of active transport in good mental health and self-perceived health.

A new study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) has concluded that cycling is the mode of transport associated with the greatest health benefits: better self-perceived general health, better mental health and fewer feelings of loneliness.

The study formed part of the EU funded PASTA (Physical Activity Through Sustainable Transport Approaches) project and was carried out in seven European cities: Antwerp, Barcelona, London, Örebro, Rome, Vienna and Zurich.

cycle pathA baseline questionnaire was completed by more than 8,800 people on transport and health that included questions about what transport modes they used, how often they used the different transport modes, and how they perceived their general health. The mental-health section of the survey focused on the four major dimensions of mental health (anxiety, depression, loss of emotional control, and psychological well-being), vitality (energy level and fatigue) and perceived stress. The survey also asked about participants social relations, including questions about loneliness and contact with friends and/or family.

The transport modes assessed in the study were car, motorbike, public transport, bicycle, electric bicycle and walking. The effects of these transport modes were analysed using both single- and multiple-mode models.

The findings, published in Environment International, show that cycling yielded the best results in every analysis. Bicycles were associated with better self-perceived general health, better mental health, greater vitality, lower self-perceived stress and fewer feelings of loneliness. The second most beneficial transport mode, walking, was associated with good self-perceived general health, greater vitality, and more contact with friends and/or family.

The study's conclusions regarding transport modes other than cycling and walking were not entirely conclusive. Driving and public-transport use were associated with poor self-perceived general health when the transport modes were analysed separately, but this effect disappeared in the multiple-mode analyses commented Ávila Palencia. Cars were also associated with fewer feelings of loneliness in all of the analyses. This result is most likely due to the fact that the study population drove very infrequently and most journeys by car were probably for social purposes, such as visiting a family member or a friend, explained the researcher.

The findings were similar in all of the cities we studied. This suggests that active transport especially cycling should be encouraged in order to improve health and increase social interaction, commented Ávila Palencia. She added that the percentage of people who cycle remains low in all European cities, except in countries like the Netherlands and Denmark, which means that there is plenty of room to increase bicycle use.

Nieuwenhuijsen, coordinator of the study and director of the Urban Planning, Environment and Health Initiative at ISGlobal, commented: "Transport is not just a matter of mobility; it also has to do with public health and the well-being of the population". The study's findings, he noted, show "yet again that an integrated approach to urban planning, transport planning and public health is needed in order to develop policies that promote active transport, such as adding more segregated cycle lanes in Barcelona, which are transforming the city into a better environment for cyclists."

Other studies conducted as part of the PASTA project have also highlighted the health benefits of cycling. One study found that cyclists have a lower body mass index than non-cyclists and another suggested that as many as 10,000 deaths could be prevented by expanding cycling networks in European cities.

Back to news menu

Useful links

If you have any other queries please contact us.

The Cycling Experts is brought to you by the Association of Cycle Traders.