Regular cycling halves risk of nasty diseases - Shock news (not)

[hatler]

Old news if you've been keeping half an eye open these last few years, but nevertheless, it's good to see it on the front page of the Beeb's website.

But, during the course of the study, regular cycling cut the risk of death from any cause by 41%, the incidence of cancer by 45% and heart disease by 46%.
The cyclists clocked an average of 30 miles per week, but the further they cycled the greater the health boon.

[clarion]

And in the Metro.

Not sure how Cx is so strongly affected.  Heart disease, CVD, yes, but cancer?  Surely that's mostly a correlation rather than causative???  I'd be curious to see more details about which cancers.

[mrcharly-YHT]

There has been more recent epidemiology study into cancer risk, concluding that lifestyle was a major factor in reducing cancer risk.

I strongly theorise (without evidence) that cycling and other sustained exercise stimulates growth of blood vessels, general health of cardiovascular system and health as a whole.

[clarion]

Possible.  And there are a lot of factors to correct for which are known risk factors: Smoking, excessive drinking, obesity (present company excepted), meat eating (and healthy eating in general), and sedentary lifestyles are not so common among cyclists. 

[simonp]

Cycling probably reduces stress hormones compared to sitting in traffic in a car, and inflammatory markers also.

[T42]

Bloody awkward to get an STD on a bike.

(Someone will now find a video that demonstrates otherwise.)

[Kim]

I expect it's just that - particularly in a country with low levels of cycling - cyclists are more likely to be hippy health freak types.

Or maybe they're just spending less time sitting around in cars.

Anyway, where risk of cancer is concerned there's a canonical resource.  I'm waiting for the Daily Mail article to come out.

[simonp]

I checked my blood pressure after driving home from work vs motorcycle. It was much lower after the motorbike trip.

YBPMV.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Possible.  And there are a lot of factors to correct for which are known risk factors: Smoking, excessive drinking, obesity (present company excepted), meat eating (and healthy eating in general), and sedentary lifestyles are not so common among cyclists.

With the exception of smoking, a ride with Bristol CTC would soon disprove this. Mind you, so should a YACF camping meet!

[Kim]

The walking findings are interesting.  I'd say that 6 miles of walking was roughly equivalent exercise to 30 miles of cycling.

Cynically, I'd suggest that walking is what people who don't have cars do, while cycling is something that Cyclists do.  Would be interesting to compare to somewhere with higher levels of bike use by non-cycling-enthusiasts.

[dave r]

All the cycling I've done over the years didn't stop me having problems with angina a few years ago, or having a heart attack in November. ButI recon all the extra fitness I've got from the cycling helped me cope with it and helped me bounce back afterwards.

[Wowbagger]

I keep reading this thread title and thinking it's about something nasty that I am likely to catch from my stoker!

The walking findings are interesting.  I'd say that 6 miles of walking was roughly equivalent exercise to 30 miles of cycling.

Cynically, I'd suggest that walking is what people who don't have cars do, while cycling is something that Cyclists do.  Would be interesting to compare to somewhere with higher levels of bike use by non-cycling-enthusiasts.

Walking is also something cyclists do when they are trying to climb rocky bridleways in the Pennines!

[T42]

All the cycling I've done over the years didn't stop me having problems with angina a few years ago, or having a heart attack in November. ButI recon all the extra fitness I've got from the cycling helped me cope with it and helped me bounce back afterwards.

My cardiologist told me that without cycling I'd have been on the table 10 years earlier.

[madcow]

  I'm waiting for the Daily Mail article to come out.

This one? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4427142/Cycling-work-halves-risk-heart-disease-cancer.html

The article itself is fairly bland .The comments less so. Twas ever thus.

[andrew_s]

On a similar subject, there is an article in the current Scientific American, about the improvement that exercise etc makes in dementia patients.
I only glanced at it in WHS, but it seemed that they took a set of existing patients, put half on a high intervention lifestyle program with good diet, cycling/walking, and mental exercise, with nagging if they didn't keep up with it, and the other half carried on with standard treatment.

[hatler]

  I'm waiting for the Daily Mail article to come out.

This one? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4427142/Cycling-work-halves-risk-heart-disease-cancer.html

The article itself is fairly bland .The comments less so. Twas ever thus.

Can someone please remind of the site that displays Daily Wail articles without actually going to their site (to avoid them scoring clicks).

[red marley]

That Daily Mail proxy site was shut down a few years ago I think. The only remaining job is to shut down the original.

[hatler]

[madcow]

That Daily Mail proxy site was shut down a few years ago I think. The only remaining job is to shut down the original.

(click to show/hide)

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/daily-mail-brexit-coverage-praised-as-it-is-named-press-awards-newspaper-of-the-year-for-2016/

[Peat]

Is an urban commute really that healthy though? Surely you're huffing in whatever is spluttering out the back of the stationary cars and buses. At least when you're inside of of them you have a particulate filter....

[red marley]

...which draws in air near ground level just behind the vehicle in front.

As far as I am aware, every study that has examined it, has found that the health benefits of active travel vastly outweigh those disbenefits from breathing air polluted by motor vehicles.

However, vehicle pollutants, especially from diesel, have adverse effects on all of us who have to occupy space near them regardless of travel mode. The sooner drivers of such vehicles adapt their behaviour (i.e. stop driving them), the better for us all, including the drivers themselves.

[Kim]

As far as I am aware, every study that has examined it, has found that the health benefits of active travel vastly outweigh those disbenefits from breathing air polluted by motor vehicles.

That's my understanding too.  From personal experience the edge case is when the combination of exercise combined with a localised source of pollutants causes an actual asthma attack, which are generally considered to be bad for you.  Other chronic lung conditions are available.

[De Sisti]

The sooner drivers of such vehicles adapt their behaviour (i.e. stop driving them), the better for us all, including the drivers themselves.

Get real and stop dreaming.

[Kim]

The sooner drivers of such vehicles adapt their behaviour (i.e. stop driving them), the better for us all, including the drivers themselves.

Get real and stop dreaming.

You can't really fight technology and economics, so they'll end up electric eventually.  That should make a large dent in some of the nasty diseases, while doing absolutely nothing for the others.  It's a start.

[Chris S]

The sooner drivers of such vehicles adapt their behaviour (i.e. stop driving them), the better for us all, including the drivers themselves.

Get real and stop dreaming.

You can't really fight technology and economics, so they'll end up electric eventually.  That should make a large dent in some of the nasty diseases, while doing absolutely nothing for the others.  It's a start.

Some kind of economic meltdown will help. A sudden escalation to £2 a litre for fuel would focus a lot of attention.