A 10-year study in Japan has found that older adults who rode bicycles had lower risks of needing long-term care and dying – particularly those who did not otherwise drive.
A group of researchers from the University in Tsukuba in Japan analysed cycling habits among a group of several thousand older adults (mean age 74.2 years) across a 10-year period.
First, they looked at how often participants rode bicycles in 2013 and tracked whether they later required long-term care or died in the period through to 2023.
Second, they evaluated changes in cycling behaviour (whether they rode bicycles, whether they were interrupted or continued in this use, whether any non-riders became riders during the period) between 2013 and 2017, and how these patterns related to later health outcomes.
The analysis included all participants, as well as a focused analysis of individuals who did not drive.
The researchers found that older adults who were cycling in 2013 had a lower risk of needing long-term care and a lower risk of death over the following decade, compared with those who did not cycle. The protective effects were particularly strong among non-drivers.
Additionally, participants who kept cycling between 2013 and 2017 had a reduced risk of both long-term care needs and death in the years that followed. Those who either continued cycling or started cycling were less likely to require long-term care later on.
Overall, the study, published in Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, suggests that cycling can support both physical and mental wellbeing in older adults, helping extend life and maintain independence.
The researchers describe cycling as a 'lifestyle companion' that supports healthier ageing – particularly for those who no longer drive.
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