Cykling, motion, miljø og sundhed - Thomas Krag

Conclusions and Recommendations
More cycling would enhance the health of the Danish population. Less people would suffer from
cardio-vascular diseases, diabetes 2, osteoporosis, and certain forms of cancer. In addition, public
investments in cycle-initiatives would have a high socio-economic yield. Such investments should
therefore have high priority in the government’s efforts to stimulate physical exercise and public
health. Funding should be earmarked, so that municipalities interested in promoting cycleinitiatives
can apply for the financial means.
Physical inactivity threatens public health
Bicycling presents a solution to a number of problems. Transportation requirements, health as well
as pollution problems can be tackled simultaneously. In wealthy parts of the world, there is much
focus these days on physical inactivity and obesity; and the reason is obvious: these problems
threaten common health. Comprehensive studies from several countries all speak the same
language: physical inactivity is a problem that, in terms of surplus hospitalization expenditure,
equals alcoholism, and is half as expensive as smoking. Judged by the mortality rate alone,
inactivity is as dangerous as smoking. Health authorities have sounded the alarm and recommend
half an hour of physical exercise each day for adults, and one hour for children. This exercise
should at least be on the level of brisk walking.
Cycling reduces a variety of diseases
A large Danish study has shown that people who take their bicycle to work have a 28% lower
mortality rate than the average population (after adjustment for, among other issues, differences in
terms of job, smoking, leisure-time activities, and body mass index). There is solid Danish evidence
that physical exercise reduces the risk of developing the following diseases: heart attacks, diabetes
2, osteoporosis, colorectal and breast cancer, as well as high blood pressure. International research
also indicates that depressions, back-pains, and strokes can be reduced significantly. By following
the exercise recommendations, one can diminish the risk of these diseases by 30 to 50 %. Thereby,
one has not only a longer life in store, but can also look forward to more years in good health. If
you ask road users themselves, those who cycle feel in better physical and mental shape than those
who do not cycle.
Physical inactivity is a big problem in Denmark, but in certain other countries, for example, Great
Britain, it is even bigger. More and more people have sedentary life-styles, working with
computers, driving cars, and spending their leisure-time in front of the TV. Cycling is no longer
favored in many countries, including Denmark, although in some cities, such as Copenhagen and
Odense, this trend has been reversed.
Children are more and more often brought to school by car. Many children prefer to stay inside at
breaks, and gym-class often has low priority amongst both school leaders and pupils. Although
more children these days practice sport in their spare time than 20 years ago, it is still the case that,
overall, more children are inactive nowadays. We have witnessed a polarization in terms of exercise
level and physical fitness of the children. A Norwegian study has shown that children who are taken
to school by car have significantly more backache problems and are less able to manage moderate
physical challenges than children who cycle.
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