The wheel deal: Driving really does make you FAT… and you could gain 5lbs after just an hour in your car
Spending too long behind the wheel could also add 1.5cm to your waist
IT might be time to start walking to the bus stop - as new research has revealed that driving for more than one hour per day can make you 5lbs heavier than someone who spends less than 15 minutes in a car.
The study also warns spending a lot of time behind the wheel can add more than 1.5cm of fat to your waistline - a dangerous amount, which raises the risk of an early death.
With 64 per cent of Brits using a car as their primary mode of transport, many of us could be at risk.
But men spend the most time driving, meaning they are more likely than their female counterparts to develop potentially fatal health problems such as heart disease and diabetes - conditions often caused by being sedentary.
Researchers from Australian Catholic University in Sydney, New South Wales, studied the driving habits of 2,800 adults against their BMI, waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose and a range of signals related to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
The study's author, Professor Takemi Sugiyama, of Australian Catholic University's Institute for Health and Ageing, explained that reduced travel time is usually the main argument for using public transport - but the main focus should be on the health benefits.
He said: "Transport sectors have been trying to promote active travel mainly to reduce congestion, air pollution, and the proliferation of auto-mobile related infrastructure.
"Such efforts can be further supported by producing a compelling body of evidence on the adverse health impact of prolonged time spent in cars."
This grave warning comes after another study at the University of Oxford revealed that men with a beer belly could be at increased risk of prostate cancer.
The research examined data from 141,896 middle-aged European men - and just 14 years later, participants presented 7,022 cases of prostate cancer, 934 of which were sadly fatal.
As a result, scientists concluded that every extra 4 inches (10cm) on the waist increases the chance of dying from the disease by a horrifying 18 per cent.
Lead author Dr Aurora Perez-Cornago, of the Nuffield Department of Population Health, said: “The findings from this large prospective study show that the association between body size and prostate cancer is complex and varies by disease aggressiveness.
“Men who have greater (body fat) have an elevated risk of high grade prostate cancer and prostate cancer death.
“Our results are in line with health advice for other non-communicable diseases … Men should try to maintain a healthy weight.”