A 10-year study in Japan has found that older adults who rode bicycles had lower risks of needing long-term care and dying \u2013\u00a0particularly those who did not otherwise drive.<\/p>\n
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A group of researchers from the University in Tsukuba in Japan analysed cycling habits among a group of several thousand older adults (mean age 74.2 years) across a 10-year period.<\/p>\n
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First, they looked at how often participants rode bicycles in 2013 and tracked whether they later required long-term care or died in the period through to 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Second, they evaluated changes in cycling behaviour (whether they rode bicycles, whether they were interrupted or continued in this use, whether any non-riders became riders during the period) between 2013 and 2017, and how these patterns related to later health outcomes.<\/p>\n
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The analysis included all participants, as well as a focused analysis of individuals who did not drive.<\/p>\n
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The researchers found that older adults who were cycling in 2013 had a lower risk of needing long-term care and a lower risk of death over the following decade, compared with those who did not cycle. The protective effects were particularly strong among non-drivers.<\/p>\n
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Additionally, participants who kept cycling between 2013 and 2017 had a reduced risk of both long-term care needs and death in the years that followed. Those who either continued cycling or started cycling were less likely to require long-term care later on.<\/p>\n
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The researchers describe cycling as a ‘lifestyle companion’ that supports healthier ageing \u2013 particularly for those who no longer drive.<\/p>\n
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