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Bicycling within city limits is more harmful than walking
Last reviewed: 30.06.2025
Scientists from the University of London have refuted the fact that cycling in the city is beneficial for health.
The study involved 10 healthy non-smoking people aged 18 to 40. Five of the participants preferred walking around the city, while the other five usually rode a bicycle.
Over the course of several years, scientists took samples of lung tissue from the bronchioles and studied macrophage cells, which are located on the surface of the alveoli and capture foreign agents.
The study results showed that the presence of soot, namely nitrogen oxide and carbon black, in the lungs of cyclists was 2.2 times higher than that of people who preferred to walk. It should be noted that recent studies have proven the role of carbon black in the development of lung diseases, heart attacks and lung cancer.
Scientists linked the obtained data to the fact that the rate and depth of breathing of cyclists is higher than that of pedestrians. The second reason is frequent riding near traffic flows, where the concentration of exhaust gases is much higher than in pedestrian areas.
This report was presented at the annual congress of the European Lung Society in Amsterdam.
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