Cycling promotes longevity in older adults, especially non-drivers

Older people who cycle benefit from improved health and longevity, according to researchers at the University of Tsukuba, Japan. As populations are ageing worldwide, but becoming less mobile, scientists are calling for greater efforts to encourage physical activity.

Japan has the world’s oldest population, with approximately 29% of its inhabitants aged 65 years or older. However, it is viewed as a relatively health-conscious society where people have tended to live in good health into their later years.

A significant number of older adults in Japan use bicycles as a means of transportation compared with their counterparts in Europe and the United States. Previous research has demonstrated that cyclists exhibit higher levels of social interaction and physical activity. Although cycling is considered a vital activity that can reduce the need for long-term care and lower mortality risk, long-term follow-up studies have not examined these correlations in the Japanese context.

The new study examined the effects of cycling among older adults, focusing on two primary research domains. First, it examined the association between the frequency of bicycle use in 2013 and the incidence of long-term care requirements and deaths over a 10-year follow-up period, lasting until 2023. Second, it examined the relationship between bicycle use (non-use, initiation, interruption, and continuation) and the onset of long-term care requirements or death at two-time points: 2013 and 2017. In addition to analyses involving all participants, analyses were also conducted for a cohort of people who do not drive.

The first line of research found that, as of 2013, older adults who cycled had a lower risk of requiring long-term care and experiencing death over the subsequent 10-year period compared with those who did not cycle. This risk reduction was particularly significant among non-drivers.

The second line of research indicated that older adults who continued cycling for four years between 2013 and 2017 experienced a lower risk of requiring long-term care and mortality in the subsequent six years compared with those who did not cycle. Furthermore, the analysis focused on non-drivers found that older adults who continued cycling, as well as those who began cycling, had a lower risk of requiring long-term care.

These findings suggest that cycling among older adults improves health and life expectancy, especially among non-drivers, serving as a “lifestyle companion” that contributes to maintaining and improving physical and mental health. This is especially notable given that older people in Japan are increasingly giving up their driver’s licenses.