Walking, Biking to Work Linked to Lower Blood Pressure
Gordon-Larsen P, Boone-Heinonen J, Sidney S, Sternfeld B, Jacobs DR Jr., Lewis CE
Archives of Internal Medicine, July 2009
Walking or biking to work is positively associated with fitness levels in men and women, as well as inversely associated with obesity, triglyceride levels, blood pressure, and insulin levels in men, according to a study in the July 13, 2009 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
The study included over 2,000 subjects who worked outside the home in 2005-2006. Active commuting was defined as any walking or cycling from home to work or work to home. In addition to commuting, participants were asked about their participation in different physical activities, including recreational sports, exercise, and leisure and occupational activities.
Although fewer than 20 percent of subjects reported walking or cycling to work, those considered "active" tended to live closer to their work but also were more likely to walk or bike to the workplace. In men, commuting was inversely associated with BMI, obesity, triglyceride levels, diastolic blood pressure, and fasting insulin levels, and positively associated with HDL-cholesterol levels and fitness levels assessed by exercise time on the treadmill. In women, daily physical activity levels and fitness levels were positively associated with active commuting.
The survey, which looked at workers who have been with their company for less than five years, was conducted in late January 2008.
