Publication type
Conference Paper
Series
Understanding Society Scientific Conference 2015, 21-23 July 2015, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
Authors
Publication date
July 21, 2015
Summary:
Previous research has demonstrated that active commuting (AC) to work
significantly and independently predicts objectively measured body
weight and composition and self-reported diagnosed cardiovascular
disease (CVD)-related conditions in the UK general population. This
study aims to further illuminate the relationship between AC and
CVD-related biomarkers using novel Understanding Society blood analyte
data.
Nurse health assessment data from the Understanding Society general
population sample (wave 2) and the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS,
wave 3) subsamples were combined with relevant mainstage data. AC was
operationalised as a 3-category variable (private, public and active
transportation modes). Three CVD-related blood analyte outcomes were
identified: (1) Total cholesterol (dichotomised using ≤5mmol/l
cut-point); (2) High-density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (dichotomised
at >1mmol/l); (3) triglycerides (dichotomised at <2mmol/l).
Hypothesised socioeconomic, behavioural, health-related and demographic
confounders were identified. Gender-stratified nested multivariate
logistic regression models were fitted for each outcome using
appropriate p-weights. A complete-case analysis approach yielded an
analytic sample size of 4210.
Compared to their private or public transport using counterparts, male
active commuters were significantly more likely to have protective
levels of HDL cholesterol (OR 2.79, CI 1.58 to 4.95, fully adjusted).
Women who commuted via active modes were significantly less likely to
have elevated triglyceride levels (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.98, fully
adjusted). After adjustment for hypothesised confounders, no significant
association was found between commuting mode and total cholesterol for
men or women. Active commuting (AC) has been promoted as a way of
addressing the population health effects of increasingly sedentary
lifestyles in Western settings. This study contributes novel findings to
the evidence base on active travel and CVD risk.
Subjects
Link
https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/scientific-conference-2015/papers/61
#523162