Research suggests that public bicycles make Britons healthier
Published Time:
2014-05-12
Research suggests that public bicycles make Britons healthier
A recent study on public bicycles reported that London's Barclays Cycle Hire scheme has significantly benefited participants, especially men. Despite occasional bumps and exposure to industrial fumes while cycling, participants experienced improved health compared to driving or using public transport. This conclusion was reached by the Medical Research Council after extensive simulation studies, and the findings have been published in a British journal.
The study also found that most participants in London's Barclays Cycle Hire scheme were male, with relatively few over 45. The report's authors stated that older participants would benefit most from regular short-distance cycling exercise. Encouraging more older people to participate through improved safety measures could significantly improve their physical condition. This research was a collaboration between MRC researchers, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and University College London. They used participant data to assess changes in physical activity, cycling injuries, and air pollution exposure between April 2011 and March 2012.
Dr. Anna Goodman, senior author of the study and NIHR postdoctoral researcher at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, pointed out inconsistencies in the research, stating: "With the widespread introduction of bicycle rental schemes, many users without cycling experience may get injured. When the Barclays Cycle Hire scheme was launched, it attracted widespread public attention. The increasing number of inexperienced cyclists in central London led to a significant increase in cycling injuries. However, our findings are still encouraging, as we lack sufficient evidence in this area. Conversely, our results show that the scheme has improved the health of Londoners, and it's certain that the risk for ordinary cyclists is no higher than for experienced cyclists."
Although public bicycle rental schemes are becoming increasingly popular, such as the Citibike program launched in New York last year, and are also prevalent in Australian cities like Adelaide and Brisbane, there are still relatively few health-related research reports on public bicycle schemes worldwide.
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