Ride For Your Life

by Brian K. Mahoney, April 25, 2008

According to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, approximately 70 percent of US adults are sedentary, meaning they do not get 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on a daily basis. This lack of general fitness plays into two national crises: ever-increasing healthcare costs and the epidemic of obesity. The total societal costs of obesity are estimated by the National Heart Association to be $117 billion per year, and obesity is second behind tobacco in US health risk factors, contributing to 300,000 deaths a year.

One way to stay fit is as simple as riding a bike. Everyday cycling, moderate exercise which leaves you breathing heavy but not out of breath, can be an effective component of a low-impact fitness regimen that can reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. Even a small amount of cycling can make a difference. One study in the British Medical Journal found that a 15-minute ride to and from work five days a week burns off the equivalent of 11 pounds of fat in a year. Cycling is also an activity that can be undertaken by just about anyone as part of a daily routine. (Numerous studies have shown links between increased strength and coordination in people over 65 who cycle and a decrease in rates of hip fracture.)

Aside from our personal health, riding bikes as a form of transportation makes for a healthy planet. Nearly a third of the gas used in the US goes for trips of three miles or less. Why not make a few of these trips part of your fitness regimen?