Although it's a great way to get some extra activity, only about 17% of Americans walk or bike to work each day. Why is that number so low? Would you consider this kind of commute if you knew it could improve your overall health--regardless of your regular exercise routine? A new study shows the health benefits of an active commute. In this study, commuters who walked or biked to work did better on treadmill tests than those who did not. The active male commuters also had healthier BMI's, cholesterol and blood pressure levels. The study interviewed over 2,000 workers about their commuting habits over the past 12 months. With American obesity rates continuing to climb, promoting active commutes to school and work should be something to consider. Previous research has shown that countries with the highest levels of walking and biking have lower levels of obesity. So why don't more people walk and bike to work? Many of us (me included) live too far from the office to make walking or biking feasible. Lack of sidewalks or bike paths also discourages an active commute. But research has shown that when cities build bike paths and employers encourage these practices by offering showers and changing areas for their employees, the number of people biking and walking to work increases. My family recently moved to a new neighborhood, and my daughter's school will be less than 1/2 mile away. I was excited when I discovered this, thinking about us walking to and from school each day to promote extra activity and even just for the fresh air. But I was disappointed to learn that there are not sidewalks and almost no shoulder on the side of the road. The idea of driving her 1/2 mile to and from school each day bothers me. Besides the fact that it will take me longer to get her and her brother into and out of their car seats, it would be much better for our health and the environment to walk instead of drive. But she's only 2, so maybe there's time for me to lobby for some sidewalks in our neighborhood before school begins. Do you walk or bike to work? If not, why? Would you consider it if there were better access to the resources you needed? |
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