health

Long work commutes increase health risks

NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted May 14, 2012

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People who regularly commute long distances to work are more likely to have decreased cardiorespiratory fitness and a higher body mass index and blood pressure than those with shorter commutes, says a study published online May 8 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.One potential explanation for the findings is that longer commutes leave people less time for physical activity, said authors of the study (link).

Researchers studied 4,297 people 18 and older who lived and worked in 11 counties in the Dallas-Forth Worth or Austin, Texas, areas. They calculated participants’ shortest distance from home to work. They also assessed health based on the findings from clinical exams between January 2000 and June 2007. The study looked at participation in weekly moderate to vigorous physical activity during the previous three months.

Researchers found 57% of people commuted between 6 and 20 miles from home to work and 19% commuted more than 20 miles. People who traveled more than 15 miles to work were less likely to get an appropriate amount of physical activity and were more likely to be obese than those with shorter commutes. Distances greater than 10 miles were associated with an increased risk of hypertension.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/05/14/hlbf0514.htm.

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