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Policy statement

Health


The health benefits of cycling

Our resumé of why cycling is so good for you

Health on the move 2

A thorough treatise by leading health professionals on the relationship between health and transport which strongly advocates more cycling for its health benefits and urges practitioners to keep the very low risk in cycling in perspective.


General articles

Australia: the world's fattest nation

Read what this has to do with cycle helmets

City hire bikes and helmets

How helmet laws could de-rail the City Bike revolution

Published papers

Active commuters suffer less stress, less exhaution, better sleep and fewer health problems  

Generally car and public transport users suffer more everyday stress, poorer sleep quality, exhaustion and felt that they struggled with their health compared to the active commuters (cyclists and walkers).

Benefits of shift from car to active transport  

The risk of fatal accidents is at least an order of magnitude smaller than the health benefit of cycling. An analysis of the uncertainties shows that the general conclusion about the order of magnitude of these effects is robust.

Changing gears: bicycling as the panacea for physical inactivity?  

Bauman A, Titze S, Rissel C, Oja P Br J Sports Med 2011;45:761-762

A summary of the health benefits and risks of cycling. Describes current controversies and evidence challenges for cycling policy and promotion.

Cycling and health: what's the evidence  

The most thorough and authoritative review of the health benefits of cycling, commissioned by UK Government agency Cycling England

Do the health benefits of cycling outweigh the risks?  

On average, the estimated health benefits of cycling were substantially larger than the risks relative to car driving for individuals shifting mode of transport.

High life expectancy confirms low risk in cycling

Evidence that cycling is a low-risk activity that gets safer when more people do it

Intensity versus duration of cycling, impact on all-cause and coronary heart disease mortality: the Copenhagen City Heart Study  

Schnohr P, Marott JL, Jensen JS, Jensen GB Eur J Prev Cardiol 2012 Feb;19(1):73-80

Relative intensity of cycling, and not the duration of cycling, is of more importance in relation to all-cause and coronary heart disease mortality. Adults should prefer brisk cycling to slow.

Pedalling health - health benefits of a modal transport shift  

A commitment to cycling will result in a far healthier community.

People who bike or walk to work are more fit, less fat than drivers  

University of North Carolina

See also