14 Jul 2009 09:21 AM
Two words: They're lazy.
According to a new study, Americans are just a bunch of lazy sloths, who could be fit, but are not willing to sacrifice the time to exercise.
Okay, perhaps, I'm interpreting the study's results a bit more liberally than the author would intend, but I'm pretty sure my synopsis is on target.
In what may be the first large U.S. study of health and commuting, researchers found only about 17 percent of workers were willing to trade their wheels for their feet to get to and from their jobs.
The study, which queried more than 2,000 middle-aged city dwellers, who could legitimately walk or bicycle any portion of their commute, found that most chose not to because of laziness.
Crumbling sidewalks, lack of bike paths and lack of proper equipment were other reasons study participants listed as reasons they turned to their cars and other mass transit options to commute to work rather than walk or bike.
Not surprisingly, when the fitness levels of car commuters were compared to those who rode bikes or walked to work, researchers found that the active commuters had healthier numbers for body mass index, blood pressure, insulin and blood fats called triglycerides.
The study's author noted that the research was not without flaws. For example, the already-active people could be the ones leaving their cars at home, thereby causing a chicken-and-egg problem. Researchers acknowledged that fit people likely have more desire to walk or bike to work than their unfit counterparts.
The study also included information on countries with the highest levels of walking and biking. According to researchers, people living in those countries had the lowest levels of obesity. The study's author is hoping that the new research prompts health officials in the United States to encourage people to ditch their cars and start walking or biking to work more.
The new study is based on tests and questionnaires from 2,364 workers who were part of a larger federally funded study on heart disease risk. The participants lived in Chicago, Minneapolis, Birmingham, Alabama, and Oakland, California.
Related Articles:
Getting Fit in Your Own Backyard
Creating an Affordable Fitness Plan
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