A decade-long study in Japan reveals that older adults who cycle regularly are less likely to need long-term care or face premature death. Credit: Shutterstock

New research reveals that cycling plays a key role in extending health and life expectancy among Japan’s older adults.

A research team from the University of Tsukuba carried out a long-term study examining how regular cycling affects the health of older adults. Their findings showed that cycling can help enhance overall well-being and increase life expectancy, especially among older Japanese adults who no longer drive. As more seniors in Japan choose to give up their driver’s licenses, the researchers emphasized that building social support systems to encourage cycling is becoming increasingly important.

A notably higher proportion of older adults in Japan rely on bicycles for everyday transportation compared with those in Europe and the United States. Earlier studies have shown that people who cycle tend to engage in more physical activity and social interaction.

While cycling is widely recognized as a healthy habit that can lower the need for long-term care and decrease mortality risk, few long-term studies have explored how these benefits apply specifically to Japan’s aging population.

In this new study, researchers set out to understand how cycling affects the health and longevity of older adults, focusing on two main areas. The first analysis looked at how often participants used bicycles in 2013 and how that related to their likelihood of needing long-term care or dying over the following decade (through 2023). The second analysis compared different patterns of bicycle use—nonuse, initiation, interruption, and continuation—and how each related to the onset of long-term care needs or death at two points in time (2013 and 2017). Alongside the overall results, a separate analysis was carried out for a group of older adults who did not drive.

Findings on Cycling and Longevity

The first line of research found that, as of 2013, older adults who cycled had a lower risk of requiring long-term care and experiencing death over the subsequent 10-year period compared with those who did not cycle. This risk reduction was particularly significant among nondrivers.

The second line of research indicated that older adults who continued cycling for four years between 2013 and 2017 experienced a lower risk of requiring long-term care and mortality in the subsequent six years compared with those who did not cycle. Furthermore, the analysis focused on nondrivers found that older adults who continued cycling, as well as those who began cycling, had a lower risk of requiring long-term care.

These findings suggest that cycling among older adults improves health and life expectancy, especially among nondrivers, serving as a “lifestyle companion” that contributes to maintaining and improving physical and mental health. This is especially notable given that older people in Japan are increasingly giving up their driver’s licenses. Moreover, additional social support is required to encourage cycling among older adults.

Reference: “Changes in cycling and incidences of functional disability and mortality among older Japanese adults” by Kenji Tsunoda, Koki Nagata, Takashi Jindo, Yuki Soma, Naruki Kitano, Yuya Fujii and Tomohiro Okura, 20 March 2025, Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour. DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2025.03.006

This study was supported by grants from JSPS KAKENHI Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) (26750348), KEIRIN JKA (2023P-380), JST (JPMJPF1234), Meiji Yasuda Life Foundation of Health and Welfare, and Japan Sport Association.

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