Long drives to office everyday could have long-term effect on health, say doctors and specialists. With workplaces being far away from home, more and more people are travelling by cars for long hours each day. Medical experts say this could lead to impairment in cardiovascular and metabolic health in the long run.
Responding to a study published in an American journal, doctors suggest that people must exercise on a regular basis to counter the effect of long hours of sedentary travel every day. The study linked commuting more than 10 miles to work to high BP. Dr Aftab Ahmed, consultant physician, says commuting by car everyday is the same as sitting in an office without physical activity. “Since there is no physical activity, you burn zero calories and tend to put on weight which only adds to the problem,” he says. Dr. Aparna, general physician, agrees. “There won’t be any immediate effects as such, unless, there is some complication already. But in the long run, it could cause a metabolic syndrome,” she says. She also adds that spending excessive time in cars could aggravate other pre-existing conditions.