Walking to work may be good exercise for people who have less time to spend keeping fit. And it seems to do more than just what most people may think. Recent studies have shown that walking to work may also help reduce your risk of developing diabetes as well as high blood pressure over time. This is according to the results of a study whose findings were recently published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Researchers from the University College London and the Imperial College London conducted a study to examine the various health indicators relative to the means people use in order to get to work. The researchers used the data taken from a survey of around 20,000 people across the UK. It indicated the different means of how people get to work. The data indicated that people use the following methods to get to the workplace- driving, taking a taxi, cycling, walking or using public transportation.
According to the data collected and examined, the researchers found out that cycling, walking and using public transport to go to work were associated with a lower chance of getting overweight as compared to driving or taking a taxi to work. In addition, people who walk to work have a 17 percent less chance of having high blood pressure as compared to people who drive to work. Those who use their bicycle to go to work were around 50 percent less likely to develop diabetes than drivers were.
Diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity are considered as major health factors that contribute to the development of heart disease, considered as the number one killer in the UK. The study highlights the need for building physical activity into the daily routine such as when going to work. By doing so, people can help reduce their risks of serious health problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
The data also indicated that 19 percent of working age adults using private transport such as cars, motorbikes or taxis when going to work were obese. Only 15 percent of those who walked were considered obese while 13 percent were comprised as obese in the group that cycled to work.
Source: ScienceDaily
Tags: diabetes risk, high blood pressure risk, physical activity, public transport, walking to work