Manuel Franco
Head of International Relations at the Spanish Society of Public Health and Healthcare Administration (SESPAS), organiser of the 2026 European Public Health Conference (EUPHA), Ikerbasque Research Professor at the Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3) and professor and researcher at the universities of Alcalá and Johns Hopkins
This is a very interesting study design because it has made it possible to analyse data from more than 80,000 workers in Scotland who have been followed for 18 years. It is also very interesting to be able to analyse different diseases and mortality. The results show enormous health benefits from walking and, above all, cycling to work.
This study expands the knowledge we had by differentiating between walking and cycling to work as active modes of transport. The health benefits shown are enormous and it is relevant to show the benefits on mental health.
A possible limitation comes from the fact that people who cycle to work tend to be sporty, highly educated and probably take better care of their health than people who use other modes of transport.
The implications are highly relevant both for urban planning and for individual incentives to use cycling as a mode of transport. European countries such as Belgium and Denmark provide financial rewards for working people who use bicycles.
The benefits of cycling as a means of transport are not only health, but also environmental, as bicycles do not consume fossil energy, reducing the environmental impact of traffic which is the main contributor to greenhouse gases. It is very important to understand that mitigating the climate crisis is all about active transport.