Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Public Health

British National Health Experts: Cycling Safer Than Couch Sitting

A British national health authority is advising UK residents to make walking and cycling the norm for short trips, in order to reduce the risk of chronic diseases associated with the nation's obesity epidemic.

false

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence issued a 97-page report Wednesday on the topic with a number of recommendations. The National Health Service reports that 26 percent of British people are obese, while in America the figure is 35.7 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

The researchers recommends biking and walking as the best way to integrate more activity into the daily lives of British people, and they're pressuring government officials to get to work on making active transportation a more attractive choice, according to the Guardian.

The report urges local governments to install more complete bicycle infrastructure, help schools establish "walking buses," and encourage employers to create programs aimed at helping staff members drive less.

"We all face barriers in changing our lifestyles and many of us feel we don't have the time or the inclination to add regular physical activity into our lives," Dr. Harry Rutter, an obesity researcher who led the study for NICE, told the Guardian. "But walking and cycling – to work, to school, to the shops or elsewhere – can make a huge difference. It's an opportunity to make these activities part of normal, routine daily behavior."

Dr. Rutter has had to defend cycling from worrywarts who questioned whether the activity is too dangerous.

"This focus on the dangers of cycling is something to do with the visibility of them, and the attention it's given," he said. "What we don't notice is that if you were to spend an hour a day riding a bike rather than being sedentary and driving a car there's a cost to that sedentary time. It's silent, it doesn't get noticed. What we're talking about here is shifting the balance from that invisible danger of sitting still towards the positive health benefits of cycling."

Researchers report that inactivity in the UK is as big a public health problem as smoking. According to their metrics only one in four British women, and one in three men, are getting enough exercise to live healthy lives.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Opinion: Jim McGreevey Plots Comeback, But NJ Voters Have Better Options

Why do some politicians think they can recycle the politics of the past and continue to ignore the carnage on our streets?

September 26, 2025

Friday Video: How Car Culture and the Internet Attention Economy Waste Your Time

Our favorite YouTuber breaks down what happens when car culture, hyper-consumerism, and internet brain rot collide — and how to claw our way out.

September 26, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Flatbush Ave. Sees Red Edition

Red-painted bus lanes are coming to Flatbush Avenue in downtown Brooklyn. Plus more news.

September 26, 2025

New Bill Would Force Amazon To Directly Hire Its Delivery Drivers

Council Member Tiffany Caban wants Amazon to have to directly hire its employees who make deliveries across the city.

September 25, 2025

‘It’s Bullshit’: DOT Deflects Concerns Over E-Bike Speed Limit

The cover-up is worse than the speeding.

September 25, 2025
See all posts