Longer Commutes Can Hurt Your Health and Waistline

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If someone told you their commute to work took them an hour, how would you react?

Would you nod your head in agreement? Envy their short trip? Feel sympathetic for how much time they spend driving each day?

Most would nod their heads in agreement in England and Wales, where a recent study identified one of the longest average commute times—56 minutes—in the world. The average U.S. commute time is 25.4 minutes.

That’s bad for your health, according to the study by the Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH), CNN reports.

In fact, researchers found the average long commuter added almost 800 calories to their weekly diet due to what they consume on the road.

“There is a noticeable decline in health and well-being if you have a longer commute,” said Emma Lloyd, policy and research manager at the RSPH. “Commuting is a highly stressful experience. Poor health is further fueled by factors such as reduced physical activity leading to increased BMI and blood pressure, and less time for healthy eating, physical activity, being sociable, and sleeping.”

That’s especially bad news for Latinos, who already face disproportionate rates of diabetes, chronic diseases, and certain types of cancer.

There’s more bad news for minority long commuters, too.

For example, Latino, Black, and Asian commuters in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., were at least three times more likely to take public transit to work than whites, which causes more lost time than taking a private vehicle.

“If you’re an African-American, you’re losing the equivalent of a month’s worth of your life commuting on a bus versus if you were able to take a car. If you’re a Latino it’s close to five weeks,” according to a Next City article.

The Next City article cited another article that called commuting time the single-strongest factor in the odds of escaping poverty: “The longer an average commute in a given county, the worse the chances of low-income families there moving up the ladder.”

The England/Wales researchers suggested a few solutions.

Employers could give staff more flexible working hours to reduce overcrowding at peak times of travel. Transportation venues can provide more seating, and reduce the availability of unhealthy food along transport routes.