Long commutes raise health risks: study
Source: Agencies |
May 9, 2012, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
LONG commutes to work, particularly more than 16 kilometers, may be hazardous to health and are associated with increased weight, bigger waistlines and poorer heart and lung fitness, according to a new study.
Researchers at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, in the US who studied nearly 4,300 commuters, found that people who traveled 16 km to work were more likely to have high blood pressure and workers commuting 24 km had a greater risk of being obese and not getting enough exercise.
"The main finding is that the study was the first to show that long commutes can take away from exercise and are associated with higher weight, lower fitness and higher blood pressure, and all of these are strong predictors of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers," Christine Hoehner, the lead researcher of the study, said.
"It really looked specifically and with objective outcomes at how long commuting really affects health."
US census figures show that over the past four decades Americans are commuting longer distances, with an average commuting time of 20-25 minutes.
Hoehner suggested the long commutes and more time spent behind the wheel reduce how much time people exercise.
Researchers at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, in the US who studied nearly 4,300 commuters, found that people who traveled 16 km to work were more likely to have high blood pressure and workers commuting 24 km had a greater risk of being obese and not getting enough exercise.
"The main finding is that the study was the first to show that long commutes can take away from exercise and are associated with higher weight, lower fitness and higher blood pressure, and all of these are strong predictors of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers," Christine Hoehner, the lead researcher of the study, said.
"It really looked specifically and with objective outcomes at how long commuting really affects health."
US census figures show that over the past four decades Americans are commuting longer distances, with an average commuting time of 20-25 minutes.
Hoehner suggested the long commutes and more time spent behind the wheel reduce how much time people exercise.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
