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 | health information | health living | lifestyle | exercise | cycling | why cycle | good for your heart
Cycling is good for your heart and health
Everyday cycling, where the exercise leaves you breathing heavily but not being out of breath, is an effective and enjoyable form of aerobic exercise. This is the type of exercise that is most effective at promoting good health. For example, cycling reduces the risk of serious conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and the most common form of diabetes.1,2,3,4
One rough calculation suggests that new cyclists covering short distances can reduce their risk of death (mainly due to the reduction of heart disease) by as much as 22 per cent.5
Another benefit of regular aerobic exercise is that your fitness improves - see our next article: "Cycling builds your fitness" for more information.
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References
- Carnall D. Cycling and health promotion. A safer, slower urban road environment is the key. BMJ 2000; 320: 888.
- Mersy DJ. Health benefits of aerobic exercise. Postgrad Med 1991; 90: 103-7 and 110-2.
- Kelley GA. Effects of Aerobic exercise in normotensive adults: a brief metaanalytic review of controlled clinical trials. South Med J 1995; 88: 42-46.
- www.nationalcyclingstrategy.org.uk/assets/NCS_topics/cycling%20and%20health%20final%20draft.pdf
- Rutter H. Modal shift. Transport and health. A policy report on the health benefits of increasing levels of cycling in Oxfordshire. www.modalshift.org/reports/tandh/print_version.htm
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