Health-Related Factors Associated with Mode of Travel to Work

Active commuting (AC) to the workplace is a potential strategy for incorporating physical activity into daily life and is associated with health benefits. This study examined the association between health-related factors and mode of travel to the workplace. Methods. A volunteer convenience sample of employed adults completed an online survey regarding demographics, health-related factors, and the number of times/week walking, biking, driving, and using public transit to work (dichotomized as no walk/bike/drive/PT and walk/bike/drive/PT 1 + x/week). Logistic regression was used to predict the likelihood of each mode of transport and meeting PA recommendations from AC according to demographics and health-related factors. Results. The sample was aged 43.5 11.4 years and was primarily White (92.7%) and female (67.9%). Respondents reported walking (7.3%), biking (14.4%), taking public transit (20.3%), and driving (78.3%) to work at least one time/week. Among those reporting AC, 9.6% met PA recommendations from AC alone. Mode of travel to work was associated with several demographic and health-related factors, including age, number of chronic diseases, weight status, and AC beliefs. Discussion. Mode of transportation to the workplace and health-related factors such as disease or weight status should be considered in future interventions targeting AC. 1. Introduction The economic cost of preventable chronic disease in the United States is substantial, with the direct and indirect costs associated with cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, mental health disorders, and pulmonary conditions estimated at more than $1 trillion for the general population in 2003. Among employed adults, much of this economic burden is shouldered by employers in terms of private health insurance expenditures and lost productivity, with the costs associated with chronic disease nearing $465 billion [1]. The visionary initiative targeting population level health is found in the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2020 and includes goals of attaining high-quality, longer lives free of preventable disease and premature death [2]. This document includes goals and objectives focused on changing health behaviors that contribute to chronic disease morbidity and mortality, including specifically improving rates of physical activity participation along with environmental and policy approaches aimed at supporting this behavior across the lifespan. Evidence outlining the benefits of regular physical activity participation for the prevention of chronic disease and