I'm Preaching to the Choir

This article is from the Montreal Gazette.

Want to get rid of that spare tire? Ditch the car.

January 27, 2013. 11:06 am • Section: Move It and Lose It

Commuting by car adds unwanted weight, even if you’re no stranger to the gym, says a study published in this month’s issue of the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.
The study out of Adelaide, Australia, categorized 822 commuters as either non-car commuters, occasional car commuters or daily car commuters. Their weight as well as physical activity was monitored over four years.
All three sets of commuters gained weight over the course of the four year study (1.26-2.8 kg). Not surprisingly, the non-car commuting group gained 1.5 kg less than the daily car commuters. What was surprising is that car commuters who exercised regularly weren’t able to totally attenuate the weight gain associated with sitting in the car everyday. Active non-car commuters however managed to keep the weight off.
The results of this study mirrors other research findings suggesting that moderate levels of exercise aren’t enough to ward off the negative health effects of too much sedentary time.
“In order to achieve the level of physical activity needed to prevent weight gain, it may be more realistic to accumulate physical activity in other domains such as transport, rather than focusing on the single domain of recreation,” said the study authors.