Walking and cycling to work is associated with fewer heart attacks in adults, say researchers, adding that could provide important health benefits.According to the study published in the european Journal of Preventive Cardiology, in areas where walking or cycling to work were more common in 2011, the incidence of heart attacks in UK decreased for both men and women across the following two years.
"Our study at the university of Leeds shows that exercise as a means of commuting to work is associated with lower levels of heart attack. The benefits of regular exercise are numerous and we support initiatives to help everyone become and stay active," said study co-author and Olympic-medal winning triathlete Alistair Brownlee.
The study looked at the 2011 UK Census data, which included 43 million people aged 25-74 years employed in england, and found that 11.4 per cent were active commuters. Walking was more popular than cycling (8.6 per cent vs. 2.8 per cent).
