It is so, says Professor Takemi Sugiyama and his team of researchers at Australian Catholic University. It’s not just about commuting to work, it’s about spending more than 15 minutes driving. In areas where people spend a lot of time in their vehicles, the results of this study are particularly important. 

The study explored the several aspects of cardio-metabolic risk associated with time spent in cars for 2,800 participants with ages ranging from 34-65 years old. Other sedentary behaviors did not significantly factor into the results of the study, which included people in Australia from both genders, every educational level, work status, household income, and medical status. 

Results were clear: driving for an hour a day can make you fat, particularly in the mid-section.

Time matters

The study revealed that two aspects of cardio-metabolic risk in particular increase along with time spent in cars. Of the total number of participants, 749 spent between 15 and 30 minutes in their cars, 851 spent between 30 and 60 minutes, and 673 spent more than an hour each day. Those in the first group, driving for only 15-30 minutes daily had a BMI increase of .36 kilograms per square meter, and their waists increased by an average of .75 cm in circumference. The group who drove for more than an hour a day doubled those measurements.

Interestingly, the effect on BMI was far more significant for men that it was for women, with men who drive between 15 and 30 minutes per day having a BMI more than 3 times greater than that of women who drive the same time and more than 10 times greater when driving between 30 and 60 minutes. Overall, people who are in the car more than an hour a day sport a BMI of .8 kg greater than those who spend 15 minutes or less in their cars and a 1.5 cm greater waist circumference.

Addressing the issue

Dr. Sugiyama’s primary interest is improving people’s health, and he has called for further studies to explore the correlation between driving and health. While his latest study focuses on the specific health risks for those who drive for extended periods, it’s only part of a set of issues that confront societies in which people drive a lot. Other issues that have been studied and are beginning to be addressed are just as pressing. 

One such issue is pollution in big cities. Pollution in cities caused by traffic is a significant health risk to the people who live and work in the cities and surrounding areas. Public transportation and improved infrastructure can help to decrease the pollution. Even with these measures in place, many cities still have traffic pollution severe enough to be a risk to public health and have a negative effect on both regional and worldwide climate.