• Cycling lowers antidepressant rates
• Women benefit more
• Active commuting aids well-being

Cyclists who commute to work are prescribed antidepressants at a lower rate, according to new research.

An examination of nearly 380,000 Scots indicates that cycling to work reduces the risk of developing mental illness.

Research from the University of Edinburgh found that women experienced more significant reductions in mental health prescriptions as a result of cycling to work than men did, even though men were more likely to cycle.

A cohort of 378,253 individuals aged 16-74 was analyzed by combining data from the 2011 Scottish census with NHS prescription records spanning the subsequent five years.

The respondents inhabited and were employed in Edinburgh or Glasgow, residing within a one-mile radius of a cycle path. They did not have any mental health prescriptions at the commencement of the research.

Research shows that cycle commuters had 15% fewer depression and anxiety prescriptions in the five years after 2011.

The predominant approaches utilized in prior research have been limited sample sizes and self-reported mental health assessments. In Glasgow, 2% of commuters rode bikes to work, while in Edinburgh, slightly under 5% did.

Dr. Laurie Berrie of the School of GeoSciences at the University of Edinburgh stated, “Our study utilized the fact that otherwise comparable individuals are more likely to commute to work by bicycle if they reside near a cycle path.”

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Study Design and Policy Implications

It was possible to simulate a randomized controlled trial and compare the mental health of individuals who commuted to work via bicycle versus those who used alternative modes of transportation but were otherwise similar by utilizing this property.

The research was also published in The International Journal of Epidemiology. Administrative Data Research (ADR) Scotland funded it for the Economic and Social Science Research Council.

The study’s leader, Professor Chris Dibben of the School of GeoSciences at the University of Edinburgh, stated, “Our finding that this sustainable and cost-effective mode of commuting to work also improves mental health suggests that a policy encouraging active commuting and investing in cycle paths is likely to have far-reaching benefits.”

This might reduce carbon emissions, traffic congestion, and air pollution while enhancing mental health.

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