Workers who commute by car, bus or train to the office are more likely to suffer from stress and exhaustion, according to a study.

Scientists assessed 12,000 employees aged between 18 and 65.

They found that those who travelled to work by car or public transport reported higher levels of stress and tiredness compared to active commuters who travelled by foot or bicycle.

It is now expected that the study, from Lund Unversity in Sweden, will encourage further investigation into the health impacts of commuting and the best forms of transportation.

Researcher Erik Hansson said: 'Generally car and public transport users suffered more everyday stress, poorer sleep quality, exhaustion and, on a seven point scale, felt that they struggled with their health compared to the active commuters.

'The negative health of public transport users increased with journey time.'

According to the Office for National Statistics, the average Briton commutes for 54 minutes every day.

But now the scientists claim that the advantages of daily travel, such as higher pay or housing conditions, need to be weighed against the adverse health effects.

It may also have a cost impact on industry.

According to a CBI and Pfizer Absence and Workplace Health Survey, the UK economy lost 190million working days to absence last year, with each employee taking an average of 6.5 days off sick, costing employers £17billion.

However researchers highlight that the findings, published in the journal BMC Public Health, do not prove that commuting causes ill health and further research is needed.

Income, family background and environmental factors are other variables that need to be considered.

Hansson added that the findings would help to 'readdress the balance between economic needs, health, and the costs of working days lost'.

    研究表明，乘汽车、公交车或列车上下班的人更容易感到压力大和精疲力竭。

    科学家评估了1.2万名年龄在18岁到65岁之间的员工的状况。

    结果发现，那些乘汽车或公共交通工具上下班的人相比那些采用步行或骑车这种动态出行方式的上班族压力更大、更疲劳。

    据称，瑞典隆德大学的这一研究预计将促使人们进一步去调查通勤对健康的影响，以及的出行方式。

    研究人员埃里克•汉森说：“一般来说，乘汽车和公共交通工具上下班的人每天要承受更多压力，睡眠质量更差，感觉更疲劳。而且，根据他们在分为7分的健康评估表上的打分情况，和动态出行方式的上班族相比，他们觉得自己健康状况更差。”

    “乘坐公共交通工具上下班的人的健康状况随着乘车时间的增长而下降。”

    根据英国国家统计局的数据，英国人平均每天花在上下班路上的时间为54分钟。

    不过现在科学家指出，每天乘车相伴而来的好处，例如更高的薪水或更好的住房条件，需要与乘车对健康的不利影响进行权衡。

    乘车上下班可能还会影响企业的成本。

    根据英国工业联盟和辉瑞制药公司联合进行的“缺席和工作场所健康调查”，英国经济去年因员工缺勤损失了1.9亿工作日，平均每个员工休病假6.5天，导致雇主损失170亿英镑。

    但是，研究人员强调说，这一研究并未证实乘车上下班会导致健康恶化，这方面还有待进一步研究。该研究发表在期刊《英国医学委员会公共健康》上。

    收入、家庭背景和环境因素是其他需要考虑在内的变数。

    汉森补充说，这些研究发现将有助于“重新平衡经济需要、健康和损失的工作日成本之间的关系。”

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