Even just walking to the bus stop or train station might help commuters control their weight, according to a large British study. As expected, people who walked or biked to work had the lowest average body mass index (BMI) and percentage of body fat in the study of 150,000 middle-aged commuters. But commuters who used public transportation also had healthier body weights and compositions than those who drove. The biggest difference was seen among men who took public transit, whose BMI was 0.7 points lower than men who drove themselves to work. Writing in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, researchers noted, “Many people live too far from their workplace for walking or cycling to be feasible, but even the incidental physical activity involved in public transport can have an important effect.”
