A Breath Of Fresh Air For Cyclists

Cycling seems like a good way to exercise, reduce traffic on roads and save on transportation costs. But cyclists are finding pollution to be a problem. Cities like Berkeley, California, are tackling the problem.

A recent small study looked at cyclists' exposure to pollution and their lung function with regard to high-traffic and low-traffic routes in Berkeley, California. The study found that low-traffic routes can reduce exposure to pollution from vehicles.

When cyclists are riding, the effort makes them breathe harder and more often. The authors speculated that this higher breathing rate combined with the close distance cyclists travel from cars and trucks puts cyclists at higher risk of exposure to pollution.

Consider a low-traffic route when commuting by bicycle.

Sarah Jarjour of the University of Berkeley and colleagues recruited 15 healthy adults who regularly cycled more than once a week to complete both a Bicycle Boulevard route and a high-traffic route.

The City of Berkeley implemented the Berkeley Bicycle Plan in 2000. It is a system designed to promote safe bicycle commuting through alternative routes called Bicycle Boulevards.

Bicycle Boulevards currently consist of seven routes through low-volume residential streets. The streets have signs, pavement markings and traffic calming devices for safe and easy commuting via bike or on foot.

The Bicycle Boulevard took an average of 37 minutes to complete and the high-traffic route took an average of 40 minutes to complete.

Each bicycle was fitted with a global positioning system (GPS) and pollutant monitor. Lung function of the cyclist was calculated before, immediately after and four hours after each bike ride.

The study found elevated rates of pollution on the high-traffic route compared to the Bicycle Boulevard. There was no difference in the cyclists' lung function between the two routes.

"This is an interesting article that highlights that even attempting to perform an activity as healthy as cycling may have potentially unhealthy consequences," said John Oppenheimer, MD, a pulmonary and allergy specialist and dailyRx Contributing Expert.

The authors noted that a longer study of cycling and lung function is needed to understand the long-term effects. They hope that more research like this will encourage lawmakers to promote safe and healthy bicycle commuting and support the necessary infrastructure.

"The million dollar question is does exercising/cycling in a highly polluted area over the years have a negative impact on those with underlying lung disease or even those without?" said Dr. Oppenheimer.

The study was published in Environmental Health.

The authors report no conflicts of interest.