New research finds commuting by bike can improve mental health, with those who cycle to work less likely to be prescribed antidepressants

A new study from researchers at the University of Edinburgh has highlighted the beneficial impact on mental health that cycling to work can have, with those who commute by bike less likely to be prescribed antidepressants.

The research published today in the International Journal of Epidemiology is the work of Chris Dibben, Laurie Berrie, Zhiqiang Feng, David Rice, Tom Clemens and Lee Williamson, and is titled: 'Does cycle commuting reduce the risk of mental ill-health? An instrumental variable analysis using distance to nearest cycle path'.

Linking commuting data from Glasgow and Edinburgh, accessed via the Scottish population census, with mental health prescriptions from the National Health Service Prescribing Information System records, researchers were able to note cycle commuters had a lower level of mental health prescriptions than among other commuter types.

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In total, 378,253 people aged 16 to 74 and living and working in the City of Edinburgh and Glasgow City council areas at the time of the 2011 census, and who lived within one mile of a cycle path, were included in the study. Among cyclists, nine per cent were found to have a prescription for mental health, compared with 14 per cent in the non-cyclist category.

A mean average 15 per cent reduction in prescriptions for antidepressants in the five years following the census was estimated for those who travel to work by bike compared with those using any other mode of commuting. 

"This work suggests that cycle commuting is causally related to reduced mental ill-health and provides further evidence in support of the promotion of active travel to encourage commuters travelling shorter distances to shift to cycle commutes," the research concluded.

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At the time of the census just 1.85 per cent of commuters in Glasgow and 4.8 per cent of commuters in Edinburgh cycled to work. Speaking to STV, the professor who led the study, Chris Dibben, commented: "Our finding that this economical and sustainable method of travelling to work also enhances mental health suggests that a policy of investing in cycle paths and encouraging active commuting is likely to have wide-ranging benefits.

"Not only could this improve people's mental health, it could also help reduce carbon emissions, road congestion and air pollution."

Dr Laurie Berrie added: "Our study used the fact that otherwise similar people are more likely to cycle to work if they live close to a cycle path. Using this property, it was possible to mimic a randomised controlled trial and compare the mental health of those who cycled to work to those using other modes of transport but who were otherwise comparable."