title: Daily commuting to work is not associated with variables of health.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Commuting to work is thought to have a negative impact on employee health. We tested the association of work commute and different variables of health in German industrial employees.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-rated variables of an industrial cohort (n = 3805; 78.9 % male) including absenteeism, presenteeism and indices reflecting stress and well-being were assessed by a questionnaire. Fasting blood samples, heart-rate variability and anthropometric data were collected. Commuting was grouped into one of four categories: 0-19.9, 20-44.9, 45-59.9, ≥60 min travelling one way to work. Bivariate associations between commuting and all variables under study were calculated. Linear regression models tested this association further, controlling for potential confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Commuting was positively correlated with waist circumference and inversely with triglycerides. These associations did not remain statistically significant in linear regression models controlling for age, gender, marital status, and shiftwork. No other association with variables of physical, psychological, or mental health and well-being could be found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that commuting to work has no significant impact on well-being and health of German industrial employees.
authors.affiliation: Occupational Health Services, Allianz SE, Königinstrasse 28, D-80802 Munich, Germany ; Mannheim Institute of Public Health, Social and Preventive Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Ludolf-Krehl-Str. 7-11, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9699-5115
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mauss
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Psychology in the Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Marc N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Jarczok
authors.affiliation: Mannheim Institute of Public Health, Social and Preventive Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Ludolf-Krehl-Str. 7-11, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Fischer
keywords: Corporate health management; Employees; Heart rate variability; Psychosocial load; Stress; Work-life balance