The association between driving time and unhealthy lifestyles: a cross-sectional, general population study of 386 493 UK Biobank participants

Mackay, A., Mackay, D.F. , Celis-Morales, C.A. , Lyall, D.M. , Gray, S.R. , Sattar, N. , Gill, J.M.R. , Pell, J.P. and Anderson, J.J. (2019) The association between driving time and unhealthy lifestyles: a cross-sectional, general population study of 386 493 UK Biobank participants. Journal of Public Health, 41(3), pp. 527-534. (doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdy155) (PMID:30239914)

Abstract

Background: Driving is a common type of sedentary behaviour; an independent risk factor for poor health. The study explores whether driving is also associated with other unhealthy lifestyle factors. Methods: In a cross-sectional study of UK Biobank participants, driving time was treated as an ordinal variable and other lifestyle factors dichotomized into low/high risk based on guidelines. The associations were explored using chi-square tests for trend and binary logistic regression. Results: Of the 386 493 participants who drove, 153 717 (39.8%) drove <1 h/day; 140 140 (36.3%) 1 h/day; 60 973 (15.8%) 2 h/day; and 31 663 (8.2%) ≥3 h/day. Following adjustment for potential confounders, driving ≥3 h/day was associated with being overweight/obese (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.64–1.85), smoking (OR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.37–1.63), insufficient sleep (1.70, 95% CI: 1.61–1.80), low fruit/vegetable intake (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.18–1.35) and low physical activity (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.00–1.11), with dose relationships for the first three, but was not associated with higher alcohol consumption (OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.87–1.02). Conclusions: Sedentary behaviour, such as driving, is known to have an independent association with adverse health outcomes. It may have additional impact mediated through its effect on other aspects of lifestyle. People with long driving times are at higher risk and might benefit from targeted interventions.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: UK Biobank was established by the Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council (MRC), Department of Health, Scottish Government and the Northwest Regional Development Agency. It has also had funding from the Welsh Assembly Government and the British Heart Foundation.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Gill, Professor Jason and Anderson, Dr Jana and Mackay, Professor Daniel and Celis, Dr Carlos and Gray, Professor Stuart and Pell, Professor Jill and Sattar, Professor Naveed and Lyall, Dr Donald
• Authors: Mackay, A., Mackay, D.F., Celis-Morales, C.A., Lyall, D.M., Gray, S.R., Sattar, N., Gill, J.M.R., Pell, J.P., and Anderson, J.J.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Public Health
• Journal Name: Journal of Public Health
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• ISSN: 1741-3842
• ISSN (Online): 1741-3850
• Published Online: 19 September 2018
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2018 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Journal of Public Health 41:527–534
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy