Do you prefer to drive to work rather than ride public transport? The results of a new study might change your mind; riding a bus or train to work instead of driving a car could significantly reduce the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and being overweight.

Share on Pinterest Taking a bus or train to work rather than driving may improve health, according to researchers.

Lead study author Dr. Hisako Tsuji, director of the Moriguchi City Health Examination Center in Osaka, Japan, and colleagues recently presented their findings at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2015 in Orlando, FL.

High blood pressure, overweight and obesity are well-known risk factors for heart disease – a condition that kills around 610,000 people in the US every year.

While physical activity can help reduce these risk factors, Dr. Tsuji and colleagues note that it is unclear whether they may be influenced by a person’s work commute.

To find out, the team assessed data of 5,908 adults from Japan. Participants underwent a health examination in 2012, in which they were asked how they get to work.

Subjects were divided into three groups: those who used public transport (bus or train) to get to work, those who walked or cycled to work, and those who traveled to work by car. The average age in each group was 49-54 years.

Men were more likely than women to drive to work, according to the researchers, while women were more likely to use public transport, walk or cycle to work.