Health + Travel = Cycling
May 23rd, 2008 by jahontaylor
Evidence suggest that increasing cycling would lead to mental health benefits, physical development benefits, social benefits, potential decreases in the number of accidents and even tourism opportunities.
The opportunities to realize these will all depend on the investments made. For these reasons, the values explored here should be treated as conservative. To avoid biasing projects against cycling, appraisal should ensure that these wider benefits are set out and quantified where possible
There are three main areas to which cycling can contribute:
• increasing health and fitness
• reducing transport congestion
• reducing pollution.
Health outcomes:
Here a little summary of what stated by a report carried out by the Cycling England Association:
• There is a strong link between physical activity and health. The current recommendation of 30 minutes exercise.
• Physical activity reduces the risk of developing major severe diseases (for example coronary heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes) by up to 50%, and the risk of premature death by 20-30%
• Physical inactivity costs the economy billion a year and obesity a further 3 billion. Reducing inactivity and obesity will improve lives, reduce health care costs and improve productivity
• The easiest and most acceptable forms of physical activity are those incorporated into everyday life, which include cycling instead of driving
• You can Reduce the value of risk factors (chronic diseases) of 30% a year for those under 45 and 35% a year for those between 45 and 64.
• The Copenhagen Heart Study provides a set of data that produces much higher values associated with the protective qualities of cycling. It suggests the health benefits of cycling are potentially four times greater than those gathered from the more widely used models.
• Cycling can make a major contribution to reducing obesity, although this cannot be valued in the same way. As well as the possibility that obesity will track through into adulthood and the associated costs, reducing obesity can help improve confidence and self-esteem among children. Cycling can build up physical activity as a habit as well as help other aspects of physical development
• The values identified here are lower than values found in cost benefits studies in several Scandinavian countries.
• The values for health could vary, but the value of reducing disease risk causes, the costs to the health service and decreases in absence from work are all likely to be positively linked to age
Overall Benefits:
- Flexibility - Get Off The Beaten Path: Unlike travellers by motor coach, bicycle tourists can adapt their itinerary, deviating on to small routes that would be impossible otherwise. Change your plans on a whim (or by accident at a wrong turn). If you’re getting tired or the weather’s changing, you can always throw your bike in a bus or a taxi.
- Wildlife: The quiet nature of bicycles increases the opportunity for wildlife encounters. For example riding could give You the opportunity to watch alligators sunning themselves on the bayou in Louisiana, snakes along the Mississippi River, Mountain Lions on the Grand Canyon North Rim and so on…
- Exercise: Face it, sitting in a car or bus seat will never offer the health benefits of travelling by bike.
How to Start Biking:
- Businesses and schools - The daily school run makes up a large part of the morning rush-hour traffic. We are working with schools and employers to create travel plans and to promote cycling.
- Cycling for leisure – For example national cycle routes, regional cycle routes, recreational cycle routes and urban cycle networks.
Commuting by Bike:
Here a Little excerpt for Commutebybike about the Health benefits of commuting by Bicycle.
In the one of the editorial in the famous bicycle traveller website, writers, Priscilla Policar mention few benefits of health she experience from the ride she did to her work by bicycle; “The travel awake me hence I do not require the coffee in morning any longer.
This work out has ‘’ help me. Anyone still complain for the claves of the hard rock???” An extra advantage of the ride in your bicycle to the work and from the work is it keeps you quiet, strain free. By doing so you reach to your place and feel refresh, and you are more able of handling the work you are given.
In universal exercise is well-known to battle sadness by activating neurotransmitters in head. These types of neurotransmitters, named Serotonin and the epinephrine. If an individual do not exercise, than the neurotransmitters might not work accurately.
Travelling through bicycle confirms the person is in the working condition. Travelling through bicycle could also arouse producing Endorphins. These are another neurotransmitters that gives an individual the knowledge of being well; to be high naturally, give relief from the pain and helps in relaxation.
Cycling to Save Money:
If you want to save hundreds of pounds on your travel costs cycling can help you. Save yourself over 700 dollars on public transport and over 1000 on car costs every year by switching to cycling. Cycling is the cheapest form of transport around!
Top Places where Cycling
- Bike in Holland
- Bike in France
- Bike in Italy
- Bike in Norway
- Bike in U.S.A
Read More:
Ibike Gives a great list of tips to start bicycling (environment, health and traffic)
Wired Best Bicycle Friendly cities of the world