Study finds cycling boosts well-being and longevity among older adults

Research suggests that cycling among older adults improves health and life expectancy. REPRESENTATION PIC/ISTOCK

A long-term study showed that cycling can help enhance overall well-being and increase life expectancy, especially among older Japanese adults who no longer drive. Researchers said building social support systems to encourage cycling is becoming increasingly important.

The researchers set out to understand how cycling affects the health and longevity, focusing on two main areas. The first analysis looked at how often participants used bicycles in 2013 and how that related to their likelihood of needing long-term care or dying over the following decade (through 2023). The second analysis compared different patterns of bicycle use and how each related to the onset of long-term care needs or death at two points in time (2013 and 2017). Alongside the overall results, a separate analysis was carried out for a group of older adults who did not drive.

The first line of research found that, as of 2013, older adults who cycled had a lower risk of requiring long-term care and experiencing death over the subsequent 10-year period. The second line of research indicated that older adults who continued cycling experienced a lower risk of requiring long-term care and mortality in the subsequent six years. These findings suggest that cycling among older adults improves health and life expectancy.

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