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Health benefits of cycling: A systematic review
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to update the evidence on the health benefits of cycling. A systematic review of the literature resulted in 16 cycling-specific studies. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies showed a clear positive relationship between cycling and cardiorespiratory fitness in youths. Prospective observational studies demonstrated a strong inverse relationship between commuter cycling and all-cause mortality, cancer mortality, and cancer morbidity among middle-aged to elderly subjects. Intervention studies among working-age adults indicated consistent improvements in cardiovascular fitness and some improvements in cardiovascular risk factors due to commuting cycling. Six studies showed a consistent positive dose-response gradient between the amount of cycling and the health benefits. Systematic assessment of the quality of the studies showed most of them to be of moderate to high quality. According to standard criteria used primarily for the assessment of clinical studies, the strength of this evidence was strong for fitness benefits, moderate for benefits in cardiovascular risk factors, and inconclusive for all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality, cancer risk, and overweight and obesity. While more intervention research is needed to build a solid knowledge base of the health benefits of cycling, the existing evidence reinforces the current efforts to promote cycling as an important contributor for better population health.
... cardiovascular diseases and diabetes) exists in nations where physical activity (PA), including active transport, is decreasing (Saunders et al. 2013). Epidemiological evidence indicates that physically active modes of transport can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes (Honda et al. 2022;Kuwahara et al. 2022) and all-cause mortality (Dinu et al. 2019;Oja et al. 2011;Peterman et al. 2021). Most studies, however, were prospective cohort with many combining walking and cycling. ...
... Cycling is performed at an intensity that generally supports greater cardiovascular benefits than walking (Oja et al. 1991;Hoevenaar-Blom et al. 2011). Intervention studies are limited and whether incorporating commuter cycling (cycling to and from work) into daily life results in cardiometabolic benefits and whether these are due to increased PA amount and/or intensity is unclear (Oja et al. 2011;de Geus et al. 2008;Møller et al. 2011). ...
... Robust evidence that the health benefits gained from commuter cycling are because of increased PA is lacking due to methodological differences in previous studies. As delineated above, most studies asked that, outside of the commuter cycling, other physical activities not be altered during the intervention (Oja et al. 2011;de Geus et al. 2008;Møller et al. 2011). Thus, whether incorporating commuter cycling into daily life enhances overall PA levels, or replaces other activities, and the consequent impact on health are unknown. ...
The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of a 10‐week commuter cycling intervention on physical activity (PA), cardiometabolic health and body composition. A randomised controlled trial was conducted in healthy males and females (n = 26, BMI ≤ 30, ≥ 20 years ≤ 55 years). The intervention group (CYC) cycle commuted (148 ± 38 min.wk⁻¹). The control group (CON) received public transport or petrol vouchers. V˙ O2max increased in CYC (10.5 ± 16.2%), decreased in CON (−2.8 ± 12.3%) (p = 0.03). HRrest decreased in CYC (−5.4 ± 6.8%), increased in CON (1.7 ± 9.5%) (p = 0.02) as did diastolic blood pressure (−1.2 ± 7.5%, 11.9 ± 16.5%, respectively, p = 0.02). Weekly logbooks indicated no group difference in total PA (Group p = 0.15) or change over time (p = 0.18). CYC conducted more moderate and vigorous PA combined (p = 0.008). No changes in body mass were observed (CYC: wk0 78.5 ± 9.0, wk10 78.7 ± 9.0, CON: wk0 69.8 ± 6.7, wk10 70.3 ± 6.7 (p = 0.17), or difference between groups (p = 0.61). Body fat (sum of 4 skinfolds) was maintained similarly in both groups (p = 0.95). Body fat (DXA) was 29.4 ± 9. 7% before and 29.5 ± 9.8% after in CYC (p = 0.97). The intervention did not alter C‐reactive protein, HDL, LDL, or total cholesterol, fasting glucose, insulin or HOMA‐IR (p > 0.05). In conclusion, some cardiovascular benefits can occur with commuter cycling even if total PA and body composition are not altered. The increase in more intensive PA is likely responsible for the enhanced cardiovascular fitness.
Trial Registration
The study was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZTCR:12617000123347)
... Cycling is widely acknowledged to have numerous health benefits including the enhancement of cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, joint mobility, proprioception and mental health (1,2). Regular participation in cycling can significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases including cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, and certain cancers (1,2). ...
... Cycling is widely acknowledged to have numerous health benefits including the enhancement of cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, joint mobility, proprioception and mental health (1,2). Regular participation in cycling can significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases including cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, and certain cancers (1,2). Moreover, cycling supports weight management, usually reduces stress levels, and contributes to overall well-being. ...
... Moreover, cycling supports weight management, usually reduces stress levels, and contributes to overall well-being. Its low-impact nature makes it an ideal form of exercise for individuals across various age groups and fitness levels, further solidifying its role as a valuable health-promoting activity (1,2). ...
Adaptive cycling holds potential for promoting physical and mental health among individuals with disabilities, who often face barriers to traditional cycling and other forms of exercise. This scoping review systematically examines existing scientific literature to assess the effects of adaptive cycling on the physical and mental health of individuals with disabilities. Following a widely recognized methodological scoping review framework, 35 qualitative and quantitative studies were identified through comprehensive database searches and manual screenings. The review highlights the positive impacts of adaptive cycling on cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, and overall physical well-being, as well as improvements in mental health and quality of life. Despite these benefits, significant research gaps remain, particularly concerning adaptive cycling modalities, such as sociable cycles, chair transporters, and power-assisted bikes, which were underrepresented in the existing literature. This review underscores the need for further studies to provide a comprehensive understanding on the effects of different adaptive cycling modalities. Such studies are essential to improve accessibility and ultimately support the health and social inclusion of individuals with disabilities.
... As one of the most popular physical exercises, cycling has been found to reduce cancer mortality and cardiovascular, cancer, and obesity morbidity. 2,3 Cycling also becomes a convenient and efficient mode of transportation in several countries, such as Canada, and also reduces greenhouse gas emissions. 4 However, cycling is also related to some health problems; the most common are genitourinary problems. ...
... 1 In the United States, there was a notable 261% increase of congenital syphilis cases from 2013 to 2018. 2 Pregnant women have particular risks for syphilis transmission, including factors such as young age, unprotected sexual activity with multiple partners, low socioeconomic and educational status, substance abuse, and a history of previous sexually transmitted infections (STIs). 3 Syphilis is caused by Treponema pallidum and transmitted through sexual contact, creates a high risk to pregnant women. ...
Introduction: Cycling is a popular sport and also has various health benefits. However, cycling carries health risks, including fertility problems. This research aims to explore the association between cycling and infertility in men. Methods: This systematic review was conducted according to a PROSPERO protocol (ID: CRD42024509255) and PRISMA guidelines using the PubMed, Cochrane, and ScienceDirect databases. Keywords “(Bicycle) AND (Infertility)” are used. The risk of bias was assessed based on the Cochrane risk of bias tool for cohort studies. Results: The final two cohort studies were included with a total of 487 cyclists. Regular cycling of more than 1.5 hours/week was associated with 34% (95% CI 4-55%) lower sperm concentration compared to control. Regular cycling of more than 5 hours/week was associated with lower sperm concentration (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.03-3.56) and lower total sperm motility (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.19-3.56) compared to the control group. Conclusion: There is a relationship between cycling and male infertility; a decrease in sperm concentration in men who cycle at least 1.5 hours/week and lower sperm motility in men who cycle for at least 5 hours/week. The direct efect of cycling on the incidence of infertility as a consequence needs to be explored further.
... Engaging in regular aerobic exercise or bodyweight resistance exercise positively impacts health and fitness parameters (Oja et al., 2011;B. J. Schoenfeld et al., 2015). ...
... Bodyweight exercises, such as squats, lunges, and planks are most commonly utilised for the development of skeletal muscle strength (B. J. Schoenfeld et al., 2015), endurance (Oja et al., 2011), and hypertrophy (B. Schoenfeld & Grgic, 2018), while aiding injury prevention (Watson et al., 2017). ...
... Public Bicycle Sharing Systems (PBSS) are increasingly recognized as a critical component of sustainable urban transportation. These systems offer numerous benefits, such as reduced traffic congestion, improved air quality, and enhanced public health [1,2]. As cities worldwide face the growing challenges of urbanization, climate change, and air pollution, integrating PBSS into the transportation ecosystem provides an efficient, eco-friendly alternative to motorized transport. ...
... PBSS offers significant health benefits to urban population. Regular cycling improves cardiovascular fitness and reduces the risk of various diseases, including cancer and diabetes [2,29]. Recent studies have conducted economic analyses of cycling infrastructure investments, consistently finding positive returns on investment. ...
The present study evaluates the Public Bicycle Sharing System (PBSS) in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, focusing on key factors influencing its success and user satisfaction. Using analytical methodologies such as Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), and K-Means Clustering, the research identifies latent variables affecting PBSS effectiveness. EFA uncovered four significant factors that explain 78% of the variance in user perceptions, including cycling infrastructure, safety, and environmental quality. SEM results confirmed the strong, statistically significant relationships between these latent variables and user satisfaction. K-Means clustering analysis identified four distinct user groups, each with unique needs and perceptions, ranging from highly satisfied respondents to those critical of current cycling conditions. The clusters demonstrated significant variability, as reflected in the ANOVA results, highlighting the differing infrastructure and safety needs across user groups. The fit indices for SEM, including RMSEA (0.04) and CFI (0.937), indicate a strong model fit, ensuring the reliability of findings. The study concludes that targeted improvements in infrastructure, safety, and environmental conditions can significantly enhance the adoption of PBSS, ultimately contributing to sustainable urban mobility. Future research could expand to similar urban contexts to validate and generalize these findings for broader application across cities.
... Studies demonstrate improvements in disease prevention, chronic disease management, functional status, and overall well-being among older adults who remain physically active [2]. In the context of cycling, several studies have identified reductions in cardiovascular risk, the incidence of various cancers, and all-cause mortality [15][16][17][18]. Previous research has shown that increased frailty and decreased functional status are associated with a higher risk of traumatic injury; however, less attention has been given to active older adult populations [19,20]. ...
... The median Injury Severity Score (ISS) for the sample was 9 (IQR 4-13), in the moderate injury range. Approximately 11% of the sample were severely injured (ISS: [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] and 6% were critically injured (ISS > 24). 4,080 (2.2%) experienced a fatal injury from cycling (Table 1). ...
Background
Cycling promotes health but carries significant injury risks, especially for older adults. In the U.S., cycling fatalities have increased since 1990, with adults over 50 now at the highest risk. As the population ages, the burden of cycling-related trauma is expected to grow, yet age-specific factors associated with mortality risk remain unclear. This study identifies age-specific mortality risk thresholds to inform targeted public health strategies.
Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) data (2017–2023) on non-motorized cycling injuries. A total of 185,960 records were analyzed using logistic regression with splines to evaluate the relationship between age and mortality risk. The dataset was split into training (80%) and testing (20%) sets. Age thresholds where mortality risk changed were identified, and models were adjusted for injury severity, comorbidities, and helmet use.
Results
The median patient age was 43 years (IQR 20–58). Four key age thresholds (12, 17, 31, and 69) were identified, with the largest mortality increase after age 69. Our model achieved an AUC of 0.93, surpassing traditional age cutoff models, with 84.6% sensitivity and 88.0% specificity.
Conclusions
Age is a significant predictor of mortality in cycling trauma, with marked increases in risk during adolescence and for adults over 69. These findings underscore the need for age-targeted interventions, such as improved cycling infrastructure for teens and enhanced safety measures for older adults. Public health initiatives should prioritize these vulnerable age groups to reduce cycling-related mortality.
... Cycling has numerous benefits for both individuals and society. Cycling has a clear positive relationship with cardiorespiratory fitness in youths and can improve cardiovascular fitness and some cardiovascular risk factors in workingage adults [2,15]. Commuter cycling has also been shown to have a strong inverse relationship with all-cause mortality, cancer mortality, and cancer morbidity among middle-aged to elderly subjects [3,15]. ...
... Cycling has a clear positive relationship with cardiorespiratory fitness in youths and can improve cardiovascular fitness and some cardiovascular risk factors in workingage adults [2,15]. Commuter cycling has also been shown to have a strong inverse relationship with all-cause mortality, cancer mortality, and cancer morbidity among middle-aged to elderly subjects [3,15]. Another study found that the health benefits of cycling, including increased physical activity, outweigh the potential risks of increased exposure to air pollution and traffic accidents [8]. ...
Mobility is an important area of focus for Smart City research due to the vast amount of data that can be generated. The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to improve people’s quality of life and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of city processes, services, and infrastructures has given rise to a new urban paradigm. Loja, a city in Ecuador, has significant potential to implement this concept. In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the promotion and use of bicycles in the city, with positive effects on the environment and the riders themselves. However, the data generated by these rides is not currently being utilized in a way that allows for in-depth analysis, hindering the city’s ability to become a smart city. To address this gap, this study proposes the development of a technological architecture called Freemove that collects, analyzes, and visualizes data generated by cyclists in the city of Loja. A web and mobile technology platform, built using the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern and the Firebase cloud service, is suggested. Firebase is a Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) that provides real-time data management and application deployment capabilities. The platform was tested, and a significant amount of data was collected and analyzed through the mobile application. The findings suggest that cyclists tend to make their journeys in the evening, particularly in the city center, where integrated bike lanes with proper signage are available. This platform could be customized and applied to other cities that are interested in promoting sustainable mobility.
... People who engage in AT report higher levels of total PA, compared to those who do not [7], making it an important means to achieve recommended PA levels [8]. Consequently, increased AT [9][10][11][12][13] including cycling for transportation [14], have been shown to be associated with favourable health outcomes, as is the case for overall PA levels. A meta-analysis found that cycling 11.25 MET hours per week (~ 2 h per week) was associated with a 10% reduction in mortality, irrespective of an individual's PA level [15]. ...
Background
Cycling is associated with numerous health benefits. Evidence suggests that new cycling infrastructure leads to increases in cycling, though studies of network-level changes are lacking. The objective of this study was to determine the longitudinal effect of cycling infrastructure on cycling engagement among adults living in Montréal, Canada.
Methods
Using data from the National Population Health Survey (1994–2011), this study included adults who resided in the Montréal Census Metropolitan Area for a minimum of two survey cycles (N = 779). Outcomes included self-reported any cycling (transportation or recreation) and time in recreational cycling (minutes/week). Archival maps describing temporal changes in the cycling network for five-year intervals (1991–2011) were classified using the Canadian Bikeway Comfort and Safety Classification System (Can-BICS). Three cycling exposures were calculated from the centroid of each dissemination area: (1) distance to the nearest cycling path categorized by Can-BICS comfort-level (low, medium or high), (2) presence of cycle paths of each comfort level within distance thresholds (low = 321 m, medium = 623 m, high = 1790 m), and (3) density of cycle paths within a 1000 m buffer. Mixed effects logistic regression models estimated associations between cycling infrastructure and any cycling. Linear mixed effects models estimated associations between cycling infrastructure and time spent in recreational cycling.
Results
Over the study period, low- and medium-comfort cycle paths were more prevalent than high-comfort paths and cycling for recreation was more common than cycling for transportation. Exposure to high-comfort paths within an acceptable distance (< 1790 m) was associated with higher odds of any cycling (aOR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.00–1.63). Cumulative exposure to medium-comfort paths within an acceptable distance (< 623 m) was associated with greater time spent in recreational cycling (β = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.03–0.16). Gender-stratified analyses suggested that cumulative exposures to low- and medium-comfort infrastructure within distance thresholds was associated with time spent in recreational cycling (low: β = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.00–0.12, medium: β = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.04–0.22,) among women. No significant effects were observed for distance to the nearest cycling infrastructure for either outcome. Density was not examined in models due to low variation with most buffers having no cycling infrastructure.
Conclusions
This research provides evidence that cycle paths, especially of higher comfort and safety, can promote cycling. Future work is needed to explore cumulative exposures to cycling infrastructure, taking into consideration connectivity of networks, integrated public transport, and accessibility to work.
... Contact with nature is believed to improve mood, reduce stress, and even increase life satisfaction (47). Regular participation in outdoor activities, such as walking, gardening, or cycling, can improve cardiovascular health, increase muscle strength and flexibility, and lead to better self-perception and quality of life, thereby indirectly improving mental health (48). ...
Introduction
In recent years, the impact of climate change on the economy and society has become increasingly significant, with depression emerging as a major factor hindering individuals' daily functioning and quality of life. Rural older adult, due to their low income and inadequate social security, face particularly prominent depressive symptoms. However, existing research has predominantly focused on developed countries, with insufficient attention paid to depressive disorders among rural older adult populations in China.
Methods
This study, based on data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) from 2013 to 2020 and meteorological monitoring data, employs a two-way fixed effects model to examine the effects of climate change on depressive symptoms in rural older adult.
Results
The findings reveal that: (1) extreme low temperatures are the primary climatic factor increasing depression risks of rural older adult; (2) the depression of women, those with low education levels, those engaged in agricultural activities, and widowed individuals is more significantly affected by low temperatures; (3) climate change directly heightens depression risks among rural older adult through heightened social isolation and loneliness. (4) climate change indirectly exacerbates depression risks through deteriorating physical health, reduced outdoor activities, declining cognitive abilities, and decreased sleep quality.
Discussion
This study provides empirical evidence for policymakers to assess the health costs of climate change and propose targeted interventions for depressive disorders.
... Walking and cycling are considered active modes of transport because they require physical activity and are associated with significant health and environmental benefits. Research has demonstrated their links to improved cardiovascular health, reduced risk of chronic diseases, and enhanced mental well-being (Oja et al 2011, Saunders et al 2013, Kelly et al 2014. These modes are also regarded as sustainable forms of transportation due to their low carbon footprint and their potential to promote transportation equity (Yang et al 2024). ...
Walking and cycling, commonly referred to as active travel, have become integral components of modern transport planning. Recently, there has been growing recognition of the substantial role that active travel can play in making cities more liveable, sustainable and healthy, as opposed to more traditional vehicle-centered travel. This shift in perspective has spurred interest in developing new datasets of varying resolution levels to represent, for instance, walking and cycling street networks. This has also led to the development of tailored computational tools and quantitative methods to model and analyse active travel flows. In response to this surge in active travel-related data and methods, our study develops a methodological framework primarily focused on walking and cycling as modes of commuting. We explore commonly used data sources and tools for constructing and analysing walking and cycling networks, with a particular emphasis on distance as a key factor that influences, describes, and predicts commuting behaviour. We propose and explore a workflow consisting of three main steps: (1) the construction of the active travel network, (2) routing choices considering distance, and (3) modelling of commuting flows on the network. The network efficiency is analysed by measuring the network detours resulting from the commuting patterns. These are modelled making use of the open-source R package cppSim developed within this project, offering a reproducible and scalable solution for future analysis. Our findings demonstrate the importance of tailored network construction and routing methodologies in accurately predicting active travel flows, providing valuable insights for urban transport planning and policymaking.
... Promoting cycling as a mode of transport brings several benefits to cities and their citizens, such as a reduction in chronic diseases, lower rates of overweight and obesity, lower rates of mortality and road traffic injuries, and lower levels of air and noise pollution (Oja et al., 2011;Veras, Di Domenico and Marques, 2017). Although there is still a lack of consistent data on public health, urbanization, climate change and carbon emissions analysis to prove the isolated benefits of active mobility, the major global challenge at the moment is to reverse this situation and prove this causality (Tsay, 2017). ...
The article presents a discussion on the relationship between urban mobility and health. A qualitative methodology was used to understand perceptions and representations of the concept of active city and promotion of quality of life in the constitution of a healthy city. A content analysis of the transcripts of 31 semi-structured interviews was carried out. The planning and design of public policies have an impact on the spatial quality of cities by promoting active mobility, which plays an important role in the population’s health. Integrated planning enables the development of plans focused on quality of life and urban vitality, reorienting the logic of urban mobility. Combined with urban greenery and more humanized spaces, quality of life and health promotion can be activated.
... A promoção da bicicleta como meio de transporte traz diversos benefícios para as cidades e os seus cidadãos, como: redução de doenças crônicas; taxas menores de sobrepeso e obesidade; menores índices de mortalidade e de lesões no trânsito; níveis mais baixos de poluição do ar e sonora (Oja et al., 2011;Veras, Di Domenico e Marques, 2017). Embora ainda faltem dados consistentes de saúde pública sobre urbanização, alterações climáticas e análise das emissões de carbono para comprovar os benefícios isolados da mobilidade ativa, no momento, o grande desafio mundial é reverter esse quadro e comprovar a relação causal entre esses fatores e a saúde da população (Tsay, 2017). ...
Resumo O artigo apresenta uma discussão sobre as relações entre mobilidade urbana e saúde. Com uma metodologia qualitativa procurou-se compreender as percepções e representações acerca do conceito de cidade ativa e promoção de qualidade de vida na constituição de uma cidade saudável. Foi realizada análise de conteúdo da transcrição de 31 entrevistas semiestruturadas. O planejamento e o desenho de políticas públicas impactam na qualidade espacial das cidades incentivando a mobilidade ativa com papel importante na saúde da população. O planejamento integrado possibilita a elaboração de planos com foco na qualidade de vida e na vitalidade urbana, reorientando a lógica da mobilidade urbana. A qualidade de vida e a promoção da saúde podem ser potencializadas por meio da integração de áreas verdes urbanas e da criação de espaços mais humanizados.
... According to Laeremans et al. (2017), this practice may lead to increased levels of physical activity, which is largely responsible for the associated health benefits. Numerous studies have linked active commuting with a reduced risk of mortality, lower incidence of cardiovascular disease, cancer morbidity, type 2 diabetes, overweight, and obesity (Dinu et al. 2019;Oja et al. 2011;Kelly et al. 2014;Xu et al. 2022). Moreover, bicycle commuting has been associated with higher levels of perceived health and well-being (Page and Nilsson 2017), physical fitness (Henriques-Neto et al. 2020), workplace productivity (Ma and Ye 2019), as well as lower perceived stress (Chillón et al. 2017). ...
Active commuting by bicycle offers health and environmental benefits, yet it remains uncommon among university populations. This study aimed to identify key factors influencing bicycle commuting among university students and staff based on cyclist typology and to assess the applicability of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and socio-ecological models. A total of 305 students and 79 staff completed a questionnaire assessing sociodemographic, psychological, social, and environmental variables. Results revealed significant differences based on cyclist typology. Urban cyclists reported fewer perceived barriers (1.96 ± 0.59) and more advantages (3.61 ± 0.40) than non-cyclists (2.71 ± 0.56 and 3.26 ± 0.49, respectively; p < 0.001). While personal and psychological factors were most influential for non-cyclists, environmental aspects were more relevant for urban cyclists and cyclists. Multinomial logistic regression showed that for both cyclists and urban cyclists, bicycle ownership (OR = 0.098–0.104, p < 0.001) and intention to use (OR = 0.091–0.358, p ≤ 0.02) were key predictors of cycling behaviour. Although gender was only a significant predictor for cyclists (OR = 3.41, p = 0.003), this variable did not influence urban cycling behaviour. These findings support using TPB and socio-ecological models to design targeted, multilevel interventions.
... An important drive for this research has been to help improve the design of educational programs that promote safe riding behaviours and navigation of the traffic environment, as well as transport policies, infrastructure and vehicle design. Cycling is increasingly promoted because it is a relatively cheap, sustainable method of transport that offers significant health benefits (Johan de Hartog et al., 2010;Oja et al., 2011). In fact, the recent development of electric assisted bikes (called e-bikes) and scooters (called e-scooters) has increased the number of riders, also because these modes of transport allow coverage of greater distances (Pisoni et al., 2022). ...
Research in experimental psychology has contributed to the understanding of safe and effective transport. Analysing the perceptual-motor skills that support safely riding a vehicle and navigating the traffic environment has practical implications for improving educational programs, transport policies, and infrastructure and vehicle design. First, our critical review presents the state of art on experimental studies examining perceptual-motor skills in cycling. Experimental studies have often used cycling simulators or virtual reality lab settings leading to circumstances where perception and cognition are measured independent of action. Other experimental studies have examined perceptual-motor skills for controlling a vehicle but rarely used in-situ settings that sample real traffic contexts. Last, experimental studies have often investigated how individuals perform and behave to achieve the task-goal without considering the individual constraints, notably dynamic perception of body size and the action capabilities of the participants. Instead, we argue that current research would benefit from viewing cycling as a person-plus-object system, emphasising the mutual and reciprocal couplings between the individual, the vehicle and the environment. Anchored in ecological psychology, our review explores how an affordance-based control approach brings a novel perspective to study cycling by addressing how individuals attune to relevant information for action, grounded in and scaled to their action capabilities, and perceiving the opportunities for action offered by the environment (defined as “affordances”) to navigate dynamic traffic safely and effectively.
... In high-density urban contexts, multifunctional design is vital due to limited land resources [36]. Research shows moderate physical activities-e.g., walking, running, and cycling-enhance cardiopulmonary function, mental health, and disease prevention [37][38][39][40][41][42]. For instance, Zhaoyuan Huang et al. [42] found that natural walking environments improve mood and reduce fatigue. ...
As urbanization rapidly increases, the design of outdoor spaces in high-density urban environments has become crucial for promoting public health. This study investigates the health impacts of architecture-dominated outdoor spaces, particularly focusing on small decentralized spaces around buildings. The research aims to develop a comprehensive health evaluation framework that quantifies the influence of various design factors such as comfort, safety, diversity, and ecology. Using a fuzzy Delphi method (FDM) and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), 31 key design indicators are identified and weighted based on expert opinions. A multi-level fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model is then applied to assess the outdoor space of Wuhan Citizen’s Home. The results show that the space performs well in promoting health, particularly in comfort, safety, and ecological design. However, there are areas for improvement, such as enhancing cultural representation and increasing the frequency of health-promoting activities. This study concludes that the proposed evaluation framework can provide valuable insights for optimizing the design of outdoor public spaces, supporting healthier urban environments, and improving residents’ physical and mental well-being, offering valuable reference for future urban space design.
... Research shows that increased active mobility, i.e., walking and cycling in urban areas, could save approximately 17 billion pounds for the National Health Service UK (Jarrett et al., 2012) as the occurrence of diseases associated with physical inactivity will decrease. Bicycling helps achieve physical activity goals at the individual level, which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (Oja et al., 2011). Research shows that cycling for 1-60 minutes per week reduces all-cause mortality risk (Østergaard et al., 2018). ...
Bicycling is a mode of transport that is both environmentally friendly and provides numerous health benefits. The bicycle infrastructure should be comfortable and safe to attract more people to use bicycles. A poorly maintained bicycle route pavement creates vibration, which is undesirable for bicyclists because it creates discomfort during the trip. Over the years, bicycle vibration has been used to assess cyclists' comfort. This research presents a detailed overview of the methods that have utilized bicycle vibration to assess the comfort of bicyclists. Data extraction includes identifying the authors, year of publication, location, study design, assessment tool, and data source. Fourteen studies satisfied the inclusion criteria and are considered for analysis. The studies were conducted in various geographical locations, most in Europe. Both objective and mixed methods are used. Objective studies only depend on the sensor data, while mixed approaches also include cyclists' perceptions. The studies used multiple methods to assess the collected data, including Dynamic comfort index (DCI), bicycle comfort mapping, behavioral risk indicator, RMS (Root Mean Square), IRI (International Roughness Index), vibration and visual inspection, BEQI (Bicycle Environmental Quality Index), Cycling Comfort Index (CCI), Dynamic cycling comfort (DCC), surface condition rating-scale and rolling resistance. Studies are increasingly opting to use mobile applications to take advantage of smartphone sensors. Smart bicycle lights are also used as low-cost alternatives to the expensive instrumented probe bicycle.
... The current literature on travel experiences and commuting stress suggests emerging perspectives on traditional problems, such as transport convenience. While it was approached many decades ago as an economic and trip length cost-benefit balance, contemporary issues such as active travel, well-being, and social identity now partake in the decision to use a certain transportation means, or a set of them (Schäfer et al., 2020;Ogilvie et al., 2016;Oja et al., 2011). ...
Although most of the literature on stress-related factors uniformly points out several negative health, performance, and safety issues as potential outcomes attributable to a prolonged exposition to stressful situations, the applications of these assumptions to the field of urban mobility (and more specifically to commuting) remain considerably scarce. Indeed, while commuters worldwide usually face daily situations such as traffic jams, dearth of transport choices, crowded public transport services, long trips, and road conflicts, there are only a few studies that have methodologically addressed the issue of commuting stress (CS). Aim: This paper aims to present in detail the development and validation of the Multimodal Commuting Stress Scale (MCSS), a self-report tool for assessing commuting stress-related factors among urban commuters of different modalities. Methods: This cross-sectional study retrieved data from a nationwide sample of 1,429 commuters (aged between 18 and 78; average 34.42 years) from all 17 Spanish regions. Data were analyzed through Structural Equation Model-based competitive Confirmatory Factor Analyses, thus testing the psychometric performance of the scale under different structural assumptions, as well as its reliability, consistency, and validity insights. Results: The outcomes of this study suggest that the developed MCSS has a clear four-dimensional structure, an optimal set of factor loadings, fair goodness-of-fit indexes, and satisfactory internal consistency and reliability. Additionally, validity analyses show that commuting stress factors measured through the MCSS have coherent associations with both physical/mental health indexes and trip-related factors, while it also discriminates commuting stress scores by sex, age, and commuting modality. Conclusion: All in sum, the findings of this study endorse the suitability of the Multimodal Commuting Stress Scale for measuring stress-related factors affecting urban commuters, as well as to make comparisons among different groups of them.
... Physical activity is also a safeguard against a range of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and some cancers (Reiner et al, 2013), but rather than focusing on the intensity of physical activity, 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week, even if completed in 2-3 bouts of activity per day, was sufficient to achieve significant health benefits (Conor et al, 2010). There is a substantial and growing body of international evidence that active transportation, especially walking and cycling, has the potential to provide the much-desired health benefits of moderately intensive physical activity (Conor et al, 2010;Oja et al, 2011;Woodcock et al, 2011;Saunders et al, 2013;Kelly et al, 2014). For instance, people who use active transportation have been confirmed, on average, to be more physically fit, less obese, and have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease compared to people who use only motorized transportation (Conor et al, 2010). ...
There is substantial discourse around the benefits of active transportation, both to cities and to those that inhabit them, yet literature is less forthcoming about the way in which these benefits may be reliably captured. It is on this background that this study examines the potential of active modes of transportation to providing valuable physical activity for Nigerian urban dwellers. The study confirms the physical inactivity of Nigerian cities as there were records of prevalence of death due to physical inactivity-related Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). This paper provides a broad overview of a wide ranged benefits of walking and cycling to activating the Nigerian cities. Regretfully, the car-centric planning paradigm, lack of infrastructure for active transportation and lack of provision for pedestrians in the master plan are major deterrents. Therefore, the study recommends effective urban planning and design, provision of convenient, safe, and connected walking and cycling infrastructure, government policies and public campaigns and enlightenment programs.
... physical activity within urban populations (Heath et al. 2012). This paper focuses on cycling as it requires greater physical exertion, can cover trips of a greater distance, and improves physical and mental health (Oja et al. 2011). Giles-Corti et al. (2016) identify infrastructure design and desirability as two of eight integrated land use and transport planning interventions that are linked to improved health and wellbeing. ...
Non-communicable diseases are rising globally and require holistic responses to address the social and environmental determinants that shape health outcomes. Transport is one such determinant of health, and active transport (walking and cycling) has been correlated with a reduction in cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and diabetes. However, rising urban temperatures pose barriers to active transport goals, by discouraging outdoor physical activity and increasing exposure to heat-related illness. Urban planning has the potential to tackle emerging public health threats through interventions in the built environment that increase physical activity, improve air quality and reduce urban heat. For example, many cities are implementing urban forest strategies and street tree planting. This study triangulates policy and spatial analysis to investigate how the City of Melbourne’s transport and urban forestry strategies are aligned to achieve public health goals. This study finds that while the City of Melbourne embeds the social determinants of health framework into its policies, it can do more to strengthen linkages between policies to achieve public health goals. Additionally, cycling infrastructure and tree canopy can be better aligned to respond to interconnected health and climate challenges. These complex and interconnected challenges require integrated solutions, yet disciplinary silos limit policy and infrastructure alignment. Policy relevance City planners are increasingly facing intersecting complex challenges that span multiple policy domains, such as the rise of non-communicable diseases, and resulting public health implications at the same time as climate change impacts, such as urban heatwaves, increase in frequency and severity. These urban challenges require coordinated interdisciplinary solutions. Active transport and urban forestry are built-form interventions that cities may adopt to increase physical activity and facilitate urban cooling. Greater policy and infrastructure alignment will drive more integrated solutions to tackle common public health goals. This study applies a combination of policy and spatial analysis to generate insights into the alignment of active transport, urban forestry and public health and wellbeing policies and goals in the City of Melbourne, with insights applicable to cities around the world. It highlights the benefits that can flow from bringing together policy development across these domains to foster multifunctional outcomes. In particular, aligning the active transport network with existing urban forest canopy may support uptake in the short term, while planning for tree planting locations that create a shaded active transport network may also support the future resilient and healthy city.
... Shifting from motorized transport to bicycles offers significant health and environmental benefits, including improved cardiorespiratory health, reduced cancer mortality risk (Oja et al., 2011;Woodcock et al., 2009), and lower greenhouse gas emissions (Pörtner et al., 2022). Enhancing bicycle infrastructure is a promising strategy to encourage cycling in urban areas. ...
Shifting to cycling in urban areas reduces greenhouse gas emissions and improves public health. Access to street-level data on bicycle traffic would assist cities in planning targeted infrastructure improvements to encourage cycling and provide civil society with evidence to advocate for cyclists’ needs. Yet, the data currently available to cities and citizens often only comes from sparsely located counting stations. This paper extrapolates bicycle volume beyond these few locations to estimate street-level bicycle counts for the entire city of Berlin. We predict daily and average annual daily street-level bicycle volumes using machine-learning techniques and various data sources. These include app-based crowdsourced data, infrastructure, bike-sharing, motorized traffic, socioeconomic indicators, weather, holiday data, and centrality measures. Our analysis reveals that crowdsourced cycling flow data from Strava in the area around the point of interest are most important for the prediction. To provide guidance for future data collection, we analyze how including short-term counts at predicted locations enhances model performance. By incorporating just 10 days of sample counts for each predicted location, we are able to almost halve the error and greatly reduce the variability in performance among predicted locations.
... [55,63] Moderate temperatures encourage higher participation in cycling. [64] Real-time weather information impacts cyclists; precipitation has immediate effects on choices. [12,65] Long-term effects of seasonal weather variations on urban cycling participation. ...
Weather conditions significantly influence urban cycling, shaping both its frequency and intensity. This study develops a predictive model to evaluate the impact of five key meteorological factors, namely temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind speed, and daylight duration, on urban cycling trends. Using non-linear regression analysis, the research examines cycling data from 2017 to 2019 in Hamburg, Germany, comparing predicted values for 2019 with actual data to assess model accuracy. The statistical analyses reveal strong correlations between weather parameters and cycling activity, highlighting each factor’s unique influence. The model achieved high accuracy, with R² values of 0.942 and 0.924 for 2017 and 2019, respectively. To further validate its robustness, the model is applied to data from 2021 and 2023—years not included in its initial development—yielding R² values of 0.893 and 0.919. These results underscore the model’s reliability and adaptability across different timeframes. This study not only confirms the critical influence of weather on urban cycling patterns, but also provides a scalable framework for broader urban planning applications. Beyond the immediate findings, this research proposes expanding the model to incorporate urban factors, such as land use, population density, and socioeconomic conditions, offering a comprehensive tool for urban planners and policymakers to enhance sustainable transportation systems.
... Cycling is both a recreational and utilitarian sport, known for its benefits to physical health, especially in terms of cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength. Cycling is often enjoyed outdoors, meaning that participants are more conscious of their environment and air quality [46]. The sport also provides opportunities for social and family engagement, particularly in group cycling activities. ...
This study examines the associations between participation in different sports and key well-being indicators, including physical and mental health, social connections, and life satisfaction, among residents of Abu Dhabi. A large-scale cross-sectional survey was conducted in Abu Dhabi. Participants reported the type of sports they regularly engage in, and various well-being indicators were measured. A total of 25 sport types were analysed, focusing on determining the association of each sport with specific well-being indicators. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings reveal that walking was the most practiced sport, followed by jogging, running, and CrossFit. Team sports like football, volleyball, and cricket were strongly associated with well-being indicators such as mental health, satisfaction with family life and social relationships. In contrast, individual sports like running and cycling were more closely tied to physical health outcomes. Sports such as JiuJitsu and fencing, though less commonly practiced, were found to contribute positively to mental resilience and emotional regulation. Gender differences were evident, with males participating more in high-intensity sports, while females favoured walking and dance, reflecting cultural preferences. The study highlights the diverse benefits of different types of sports on well-being. Team-based sports offer broader social and emotional benefits, while individual sports are linked more closely to personal health improvements. These findings emphasize the importance of promoting various sports to enhance different dimensions of well-being across the population. The results suggest that public health initiatives should tailor sports programs to address both social and individual health needs. Encouraging greater participation in a range of sports can help foster improved physical, mental, and social well-being across diverse demographic groups in Abu Dhabi.
... Active commuting to school (ACS) is one of the many solutions proposed to help school children increase their physical activity levels to meet WHO's fitness recommendations (Chillón et al., 2010). Specially, cycling offers a variety of health benefits such as improved cardiorespiratory fitness, reduced disease risk factors for disease and a significantly reduced risk of mortality from cancer, cardiovascular disease, or obesity (Oja et al., 2011). Longitudinal associations have been shown between cycling to school and weight status; particularly, the prevalence of overweight increased in students who stopped cycling to school (Bere et al., 2011). ...
Urban cycling provides significant benefits for both health and environment. Additionally, due to the demands of contemporary society, it serves as an effective way to promote healthy habits among adolescents. Since high schools (HS) are a primary destination for this age group, the social and environmental characteristics of these institutions can play a critical role in influencing the use of Bike Sharing Systems (BSS). Our study aimed to determine how various sociodemographic characteristics of HS influence BSS use for active commuting to school (ACS) in the city of València, Spain. A Self-Organizing Maps analysis were applied to generate HS profiles, followed by non-parametric analysis to compare these profiles based on HS typology. Four HS profiles were identified. Results indicated a higher use of BSS for ACS in public HS compared to private HS. Lower BSS use was observed in HS lacking public transport and BSS facilities, while private schools generally had better access to public transport resources. Regardless of the socioeconomic status of the HS, equal access to public transport resources and BSS stations should be provided to both public and private institutions to foster an active lifestyle for all students. HS located in neighborhoods with low-to-moderate economic status and a moderate risk of vulnerability can still promote the use of BSS for ACS. However, disparities in the availability of resources for ACS are significant, often disadvantaging public HS and schools in the poorest and most vulnerable neighborhoods.
... The transportation sector plays a pivotal role in combating climate change, accounting for around 20.7 % of CO 2 emissions worldwide [14]. In urban environments, a viable alternative to motorized transport is cycling, promising sustainable traffic in addition to substantial health benefits [37]. The emergence of e-bikes in recent years has further democratized cycling for the general population. ...
... From a health perspective, active commuting is associated with reduced risk of mortality, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes (Dinu et al., 2019). A 2011 review concluded that attempts to promote bicycle use contributed to improving population health (Oja et al., 2011), while a later meta-analysis reported a 10% reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality when cycling reached recommended physical activity levels (Kelly et al., 2014). The same review suggested that the greatest benefits could be observed by promoting cycling among people with low activity levels (Kelly et al., 2014). ...
Introduction
Active mobility, such as walking, wheeling, and cycling, is a low-carbon transport mode and a source of physical activity. Cycling, as a form of active mobility, is associated with physical and mental health benefits, transport cost savings, and improved air quality. During the transition to sustainable mobility, equitable outcomes depend on opportunities for active mobility reaching across our societies. This review will chart what is currently known about cycling among people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage.
Objective
To conduct a scoping review to understand the extent and type of evidence reporting utility cycling (i.e., cycling for transport) among people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage.
Inclusion criteria
This review will include studies involving adult participants who are described as experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage. Studies will be included if the focus/objective relates to utility cycling and the study reports cycling experiences, purposes, barriers, enablers, frequencies, perceptions, correlates, determinants, impacts, and/or interventions. Primary research using a qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method design will be considered. Relevant peer-reviewed articles, conference proceedings, dissertations/theses, and preprints will be included.
Methods
The review will be conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute’s guidance for scoping reviews. A search strategy that includes key terms and subject headings was developed and translated for use across the following databases: PsycINFO (via EBSCOhost), SPORTDiscus (via EBSCOhost), CINAHL (via EBSCOhost), Embase, PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (via Web of Science), Europe PMC (preprints), and OpenAlex (preprints). Database search results will be collated in Zotero and uploaded to Covidence for study selection. Titles, abstracts, and subsequent full texts will be independently screened by two reviewers. Data will be extracted from the included studies using a data-extraction tool. Data will be synthesized in two stages: (1) charting the data and (2) descriptive qualitative content analysis.
... Bersepeda mempunyai manfaat yang sangat bagus bagi kesehatan. Beberapa manfaat bersepeda disampaikan oleh Oja et al., (2011), diantaranya adalah : 1) Kegiatan mengayuh pada bersepeda menyebabkan tidak tertekannya lutut oleh karena menyangga berat badan dan ini menjadi salah satu cara paling baik untuk menguatkan tulang rawan sendi. 2) Kegiatan bersepeda dapat dilakukan oleh siapa pun baik orang yang obesitas maupun orang dengan berat badan kurang, tanpa menimbulkan cidera. ...
Latar belakang: Masa pandemi covid 19 membuat sebagian masyarakat menjadi sadar akan pentingnya kesehatan. Kebijakan di rumah saja, pembatasan aktifitas dan interaksi menyebabkan seseorang mengalami kejenuhan, sehingga muncul komunitas-komunitas baru dalam olahraga, salah satunya klub sepeda. Tujuan olahraga adalah untuk meningkatkan kebugaran dan juga imunitas tubuh. Imunitas tubuh akan semakin meningkat dengan adanya olahraga bersepeda yang benar dan diimbangi dengan pola hidup sehat dan pengelolaan stress. Berdasarkan analisis situasi ditemukan bahwa masih banyak dari anggota klub sepeda, salah satunya adalah klub Gowes Puri Bolon Indah yang belum memahami prinsip berolah raga yang benar dan baik untuk kesehatan. Hal tersebut terlihat dari masih banyaknya keluhan berupa mudah lelah saat bersepeda, sakit dan pegal pada otot dan sendi serta kram otot. Tujuan: Tujuan pengabdian masyarakat ini adalah untuk meningkatkan penetahuan tentang penerapan frekuensi intensitas tipe dan waktu dalam olahraga bersepeda pada klub gowes Puri Bolon Indah Metode: Kegiatan dilaksanakan selama 9 hari dari tanggal 3 – 11 Januari 2021. Kegiatan diawali dengan diskusi kelompok antara anggota klub dengan tim pengabdian masyarakat, dilanjutkan pengurusan perizinan dan penyuluhan penerapan FITT dalam olahraga bersepeda. Sebelum dan sesudah penyuluhan diberikan test tingkat pengetahuan anggota klub tentang penerapan FITT dalam olahraga bersepeda. Hasil: Sesudah dilakukan kegiatan selama sembilan hari dengan melakukan pre test dan post test, didapatkan hasil, adanya peningkatan pengetahuan, sikap dan tindakan pada FITT untuk olahraga bersepeda. Kesimpulan: ada peningkatan pengetahuan tentang FITT dalam olahraga bersepeda pada klub gowes Puri Bolon Indah Colomadu.
... C YCLING can promote short and long-term health benefits [1], [2] and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants [3], [4], compelling cities to promote cycling as a means of transportation. However, many deterrents exist for people not to cycle. ...
Cycling is critical for cities to transition to more sustainable transport modes. Yet, safety concerns remain a critical deterrent for individuals to cycle. If individuals perceive an environment as unsafe for cycling, it is likely that they will prefer other means of transportation. Yet, capturing and understanding how individuals perceive cycling risk is complex and often slow, with researchers defaulting to traditional surveys and in-loco interviews. In this study, we tackle this problem. We base our approach on using pairwise comparisons of real-world images, repeatedly presenting respondents with pairs of road environments and asking them to select the one they perceive as safer for cycling, if any. Using the collected data, we train a siamese-convolutional neural network using a multi-loss framework that learns from individuals’ responses, learns preferences directly from images, and includes ties (often discarded in the literature). Effectively, this model learns to predict human-style perceptions, evaluating which cycling environments are perceived as safer. Our model achieves good results, showcasing this approach has a real-life impact, such as improving interventions’ effectiveness. Furthermore, it facilitates the continuous assessment of changing cycling environments, permitting short-term evaluations of measures to enhance perceived cycling safety. Finally, our method can be efficiently deployed in different locations with a growing number of openly available street-view images.
... Users can access bicycles easily and spontaneously, making BSSs increasingly integral as a form of urban infrastructure that enhances the efficiency of intra-city movement. Recent studies have shown that the usage of BSS can reduce environmental burdens [19,20] and improve public health [21], thus contributing to sustainable urban development [22][23][24]. ...
This study investigates the spatio-temporal patterns of Bike Sharing System (BSS) usage in six major cities: New York, London, Tokyo, Boston, Chicago and Washington D.C. By analyzing data over a 30-day period with comparable climate and average temperatures, we explored differences in BSS usage between weekdays and weekends in those cities using Jensen-Shannon divergence (JSD) and rank distribution analysis. Our findings reveal significant temporal differences in BSS usage that were commonly observed in all cities, with weekday patterns dominated by commute peaks and weekend patterns reflecting recreational activities. Friday emerges as a transitional day, sharing the characteristics of both weekdays and weekends. Meanwhile, docking station usage rank distributions show remarkable consistency between weekdays and weekends for most cities, with London being a unique anomaly. This study highlights the potential of BSS data to uncover urban mobility patterns and the underlying structures of cities. The results suggest that BSS usage reflects both intrinsic user behavior and external influences such as urban planning.
... Cycling has emerged as a powerful symbol of sustainable, accessible, and safe transportation in urban landscapes around the world. As more and more cities recognize the numerous benefits of cycling, such as reducing carbon emissions, promoting physical activity, and providing a cost-effective mode of transport, cities are increasingly prioritizing the development of cycling infrastructure (Oja et al., 2011;Pucher and Buehler, 2017). From dedicated bike lanes to bike-sharing programs, the emphasis on cycling infrastructure reflects a growing understanding of the positive impact that cycling can have on communities. ...
Developing safe and efficient cycling networks is a vital part of creating more bike-friendly and, thus, more sustainable communities. To promote cycling effectively, continuously improving and expanding the cycling network is important. Yet, understanding and measuring the impact of newly developed cycling infrastructure is not always a straightforward task, which is often performed using limited-scope surveys or simulations. The present study aims to present a data-driven method for estimating the impact of recently developed links in the cycling network by utilizing public bicycle sharing (PBS) data. The case of Tartu, Estonia, is examined using PBS data from three consecutive years to measure pre-post change in the utilization of street segments with newly built cycling infrastructure. Bicycle-sharing trips that make use of one of these segments are extracted, and various metrics are calculated and compared. Additionally, novel metrics for measuring the impact of new developments in cycling network are presented. Specific examples of significant shifts in route choice are detected and visualized. The results indicate that the share of PBS trips that employ any of the newly improved street segments has increased compared to the pre-construction period. This study demonstrates how public bicycle sharing data can be effectively used to assess the impact of infrastructure on cyclists' route choice, and presents specific findings in the case of Tartu.
... This form of mobility is highly efficient, as cycling around the city requires 25 times less energy than public transport and 53 times less energy than driving a car [64]. Although speeds are lower than motorized mobility, movement is more fluid, avoiding waste, and low speed reduces the risk of traffic accidents, making AM more attractive for pedestrians and cyclists [65]. This efficiency should reassure urban planners and policymakers about the viability of active mobility as a sustainable urban transportation solution. ...
Highlights
What are the main findings? Active Mobility (AM) supports compact urban forms, reducing urban sprawl and fostering efficiency, while incorporating information and communication technologies, key to the formation of smart cities.
AM enhances social cohesion by activating interdependent urban networks, increasing creativity and complexity in urban environments through smart city technologies like GPS and mobile applications.
What are the implications of the main findings? In smart cities, the integration of AM, supported by technologies such as mobile apps and delivery platforms, fosters hyperconnectivity and reshapes urban mobility habits, reducing car dependence and maintaining the human scale.
Ecosystemic urbanism, by incorporating active mobility and smart technologies, enables a more complex, interconnected, and human-scale urban environment, enhancing both livability and sustainability.
Abstract
Active Mobility (AM) currently presents an opportunity to change the paradigm of the competitive and dispersed city created by motorized mobility, revaluing the role of walking and cycling in generating more sustainable urban ecosystems. This article addresses the challenges and opportunities for AM to contribute to the regeneration of urban systems and the capacity for anticipation. This article analyzes AM using the Ecosystemic Urbanism (EU) as an analysis framework within its four axes: social cohesion, complexity, efficiency, and compactness and functionality. Through this analysis, the points of incidence of AM were identified within each of these axes. The study highlights the potential of AM to act as a transformative driver in urban development, integrating an ecological framework where urban systems are interconnected and mutually reinforced. This perspective reveals walking and cycling as a catalyst for reshaping urban interactions. In light of this, future cities must adopt a human urban scale through compactness that fosters complexity and diverse and engaging urban interactions. In addition, the enjoyability achieved through AM brings significant ecosystem benefits by promoting awareness of others, nature, and the interconnectedness between the individual and the city. This represents a new paradigm shift in which the automobile does not play the central role, allowing more sustainable ways of living together.
... It can be done as a recreational activity and is a cheap and ecofriendly way of transportation, especially in flat countries like The Netherlands. 1 For rehabilitation purposes, cycling is a good way to train the cardiovascular system and strengthening the leg muscles. 2 Persons with a lower limb amputation (LLA) can also benefit from cycling. Cycling is joint friendly, as the majority of body weight is supported by the bicycle seat, thereby reducing the load on the residual limb, 3 but cycling requires more degrees of flexion at the hip, knee and ankle than walking. ...
... It can be done as a recreational activity and is a cheap and ecofriendly way of transportation, especially in flat countries like The Netherlands. 1 For rehabilitation purposes, cycling is a good way to train the cardiovascular system and strengthening the leg muscles. 2 Persons with a lower limb amputation (LLA) can also benefit from cycling. Cycling is joint friendly, as the majority of body weight is supported by the bicycle seat, thereby reducing the load on the residual limb, 3 but cycling requires more degrees of flexion at the hip, knee and ankle than walking. ...
BACKGROUND: Cycling has a number of benefits, especially for individuals with a knee disarticulation or transfemoral prosthesis. However, the barriers they face in cycling are not well understood. OBJECTIVES: To explore the barriers in cycling experienced by users with a knee disarticulation or transfemoral prosthesis, and to gather solutions to overcome these barriers. METHODOLOGY: A qualitative research approach was used. In-depth, semi-structured, self-developed interviews were conducted with experienced prosthetic users (N=8) and an adapted version was used for certified prosthetists/orthotists (CPOs) (N=3). The interview included physical, psychological, prosthetic, and bicycle-related items. FINDINGS: Based on the findings from the interviews, the following barriers and corresponding recommendations were identified: Physical barriers: Exertion, skin damage in the groin area and discomfort in the back and hip. Recommendation: Use of an electric bicycle and use of a crank shortener or saddle adjustment to overcome asymmetry in cycling. Psychological barriers: Fear of falling or fear of balance disturbances. Recommendation: Task- and context-specific training, or graded exposure to cycling during prosthetic training, along with potentially using a more advanced bike with improved balance. Prosthetic barriers: Problems with switching the knee prosthesis mode for cycling; challenges with prosthetic suspension; and discomfort caused by the socket brim design. Recommendation: Manufacturers should integrate automatic detection of cycling in microprocessor prosthetic knee joints; use of a total elastic suspension belt (TES-belt); and lowering the ventral edge of the socket. Bicycle-related barriers: Slipping of the prosthetic foot off the pedal. Recommendation: Use of anti-slip pedals or a block heel under the shoe. CONCLUSION: By addressing the challenges and barriers, we aim to promote greater engagement in cycling, which offers significant physical and psychological benefits for persons with knee disarticulation or transfemoral amputation. Eventually, this can enhance their quality of life and foster greater independence. Layman's Abstract Cycling has a number of benefits, especially for people who use above the knee or through the knee prostheses. We interviewed experienced cyclists who use these types of prosthetic legs, as well as specialists who design and fit them, using a self-developed interview that covered physical, psychological, prosthetic, and bicycle-related items that could be barriers to cycling. Based on these interviews, we identified several key barriers and corresponding solutions: Physical barriers: Exertion, skin damage in the groin area and pain in the back and hips. Recommendation: Use an electric bicycle and use a crank shortener or adjust the saddle to help with cycling balance. Psychological barriers: Fear of falling or losing balance while cycling. Recommendation: Training focused on specific tasks and situations, or gradual practice of cycling during prosthetic training, possibly with a more advanced bike that offers better balance. Prosthetic barriers: Problems with changing the knee’s cycling mode; problems with keeping the prosthesis in place; and discomfort from the edge of the socket. Recommendation: Knee manufacturer could add automatic cycling mode detection; better suspension could be achieved by using a special belt; and lowering the socket brim for more comfort. Bicycle barriers: The prosthetic foot slipping off the pedal. Recommendation: Anti-slip pedals or adding a block heel under the shoe. We hope that addressing these barriers will encourage more people who use above the knee or through the knee prostheses to cycle and enjoy the physical and psychological benefits it offers. Article PDF Link: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cpoj/article/view/44191/33491 How To Cite: de Laat F.A, Kühne S.W.M, de Vos W.C.A.J, Geertzen J.H.B. Overcoming barriers to cycling for knee disarticulation and transfemoral prosthesis users: A pilot study in The Netherlands. Canadian Prosthetics & Orthotics Journal. 2024; Volume 7, Issue 2, No.4. https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v7i2.44191 Corresponding Author: Fred A. de Laat, MD, PhD,Affiliation: Libra Rehabilitation Medicine & Audiology, Tilburg/Eindhoven, The Netherlands.E-Mail: f.delaat@libranet.nlORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4348-5998
... Cycling can be a physical activity of moderate-to-vigorous intensity [1] and is known to confer health benefits, including reduced risk of chronic diseases and better mental wellbeing [2][3][4][5][6]. Cycling for transportation can also mitigate traffic congestion, as it requires less space for riding and parking compared to cars [7]. ...
To better understand environmental attributes associated with cycling, it is necessary to identify an area within which such attributes are measured. Various sizes of a “buffer” drawn from home have been used for this purpose. The distances adults cycle to/from their homes may inform the determination of empirically supported buffer sizes. We examined the distribution of cycling distances using Australian travel survey data collected between 2012 and 2020. We used a Random Forest model to identify the relative importance of factors influencing participant’s cycling distance and then reported variations in cycling distances by the most important factors. Of the 73,142 survey participants who were aged between 20 and 74 and reported at least one trip on the survey day, 1676 (67% men) reported 3446 home-based cycling trips, with a median distance of 3.5 km. The most important factor was trip purpose, followed by gender. The median distances were 1.8 km for utilitarian, 5.3 km for commuting and 3.7 km for recreational cycling trips. Men cycled longer distances than women, particularly for commuting and recreational cycling. The significant variation in cycling distance by trip purpose implies the need for having purpose-specific spatial scales in identifying environmental attributes associated with cycling more accurately.
Increasing cycling for transportation or recreation can boost public health and reduce the environmental impacts of vehicles. However, news agencies' ideologies and reporting styles often influence public perception of cycling. For example, if news agencies overly report cycling accidents, it may make people perceive cyclists as "dangerous," reducing the number of opting to cycle. Additionally, a decline in cycling can result in less government funding for safe infrastructure. In this paper, we develop a novel prompting method to detect the perceived perception of cyclists within news headlines. To support this, we introduce a new dataset called "Bike Frames," which contains 31,480 news headlines and 1,500 human annotations. Our analysis focuses on 11,385 headlines from the United States. We also propose the BikeFrame Chain-of-Code (CoC) framework, which predicts cyclist perception, identifies accident-related headlines, and determines fault. This framework uses structured pseudocode to represent logical reasoning steps and incorporates news agency bias to enhance prediction accuracy, outperforming traditional chain-of-thought methods used in large language models. Most importantly, we find that incorporating news bias information significantly impacts performance, improving the average F1 score from .739 to .815. Finally, we conduct a comprehensive case study on U.S. news headlines, revealing differences in reporting between mainstream news agencies and cycling-specific websites, as well as variations in coverage based on the gender of cyclists. WARNING: This paper contains descriptions of accidents and death.
Introduction: Active mobility in urban parks enhances public health by promoting walking and running. However, traditional methods of measuring active travel are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and lack granularity. This study utilizes Strava Metro data to analyze leisure mobility patterns in Indro Montanelli Park in Milan from 2019 to 2023, offering an innovative and efficient method to study active mobility.
Methods: Strava Metro data, derived from GPS-tracked user activities, was utilized to obtain travel speeds and trip counts. The dataset spans five years and includes information by time of day, month, age group, and gender. A custom Python script automated data cleaning and processing, calculating annual, monthly, daily trip counts, and travel speeds. Processed data was visualized in ArcGIS to map spatial distributions. Statistical charts were generated to analyze temporal, demographic, and mobility speed patterns, providing detailed insights into mobility behaviors.
Results: The findings reveal temporal peaks in morning and evening activities, with seasonal highs in spring and early autumn. Users aged 18 to 54 dominate, with increased participation among younger adults (18 to 34). Spatial analysis shows activity concentration on outer paths, particularly among runners. Travel speeds peak in February and slow in August, with a slight decline over five years. Activity surged post-pandemic (2021), highlighting renewed interest in outdoor mobility.
Conclusions: This study overcomes limitations of traditional methods, providing detailed insights into urban park mobility. The findings emphasize the role of accessible green spaces in fostering public health and should be considered in urban planning and policy making.
Objective
To describe the prevalence of hypertension and exercise-induced hypertension (EIH) among recreational cyclists in addition to their exercise habits and prior medical evaluations.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among adult recreational cyclists from March to April 2024 in the Department of Atlántico, Colombia. Participants were selected via convenience sampling after cycling activities and data were collected with a structured survey (demographics, comorbidities, and exercise habits). Post-exercise blood pressure (BP; two measurements three minutes apart), heart rate, oxygen saturation, weight, height, and waist circumference were measured. EIH was defined as a systolic BP > 210 mmHg for men and > 190 mmHg for women. Data were summarized with descriptive statistics.
Results
Three hundred and fifty-five individuals were included. Most were male (84.5 %) and older than 45 years of age (75.8 %). Hypertension was identified in 22 % of participants. Other risk factors included hypercholesterolemia (11.8 %), smoking (10.4 %), and hypertriglyceridemia (7.3 %). The mean post-exercise systolic BPs were 130.4 ± 55.6 mmHg and 122.6 ± 15.5 mmHg, and diastolic BPs were 77.2 ± 10.4 mmHg and 76.8 ± 10.7 mmHg (initial and three minutes later, respectively) and no participants fulfilled the criteria for EIH. Among the participants, 20.6 % underwent prior medical evaluation.
Conclusions
Hypertension was a common baseline condition among recreational cyclists, but none was found to have EIH. Despite a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, one-fifth of the participants had a medical evaluation before engaging in cycling activities. Our findings underscore the importance of encouraging routine health screenings in this population.
The Fédération internationale de football association (FIFA) 11 + warm-up program, initially tailored for soccer, has gathered attention for its effectiveness in reducing injury rates and enhancing performance in soccer players. This study aimed to compare the effects of an 8-week FIFA 11 + warm-up program with a conventional warm-up on injury prevention, performance, and fitness parameters in professional male cyclists. Eighty professional male cyclists, aged between 18 and 45 years and actively engaged in cycling activities, were included in this study. Pre-and post-intervention assessments following a structured 8-week warm-up program based on the FIFA 11 + protocol covered a range of performance and fitness parameters, including agility (T-test), flexibility (V Sit and Reach test), lower limb explosive power (Broad Jump test), cycling speed (3-kilometer cycling test), core muscle strength (plank tests), balance (Open and Closed Eyes tests), and exercise tolerance (Rate of Perceived Exertion or RPE), and injury incidence rates. Both warm-up programs showed improvements in agility, flexibility, lower limb explosive power, and 3-kilometer cycling performance. However, the FIFA 11 + program exhibited significantly greater enhancements in core muscle strength, balance, and exercise tolerance, as indicated by reduced perceived exertion, and injury reduction compared to the conventional warm-up. While both warm-up programs yielded positive outcomes for professional male cyclists, the FIFA 11 + warm-up program demonstrated superior effects on core muscle strength, balance, and exercise tolerance and injury prevention. These findings suggest that the FIFA 11 + warm-up may be a more effective addition to training routines for cyclists, offering enhanced performance and reduced injury risks compared to conventional warm-up.
One possibility for maintaining mobility in older age is cycling. We investigated the impact of the multicomponent “ Safer Cycling in Older Age” (SiFAr) intervention on psychological and physiological stress. Participants were 98 community-dwelling older adults (73.4 ± 5.4 years). Bedtime cortisol, hair cortisol concentrations, and C-reactive protein were measured before and after the 8-week SiFAr intervention and at follow-up. Additionally, acute stress responses were assessed during the second and seventh training sessions using salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol assessments. We found a decrease in acute perceived stress, anxiety, fear of falling, and uncertainty during the cycling trainings. Moreover, long-term perceived stress significantly decreased. No significant changes were found for any of the physiological stress measures. We conclude that cycling had a positive impact on perceived stress and wellbeing. Further research with more intense trainings is needed to fully understand the associations between cycling in older age and physiological stress.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive osteoarticular disease affecting the whole joint. In the United Kingdom, OA is the most prevalent joint disease, with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) being the most common type of OA. Key symptoms of KOA include knee pain, stiffness, and loss of physical function. Different types of exercise can be performed in people with KOA, which exert different magnitudes of impact forces on the knee joint, whereby the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) OA guidelines in fact recommend exercise as the core form of therapeutic OA management. However, the optimal type or dose – the cumulative intensity, duration, and frequency – of therapeutic exercise that most effectively provides KOA management is not currently known. This review aims to summarise and compare the literature, discussing optimal exercise modalities and doses for the management of KOA. All exercise modalities proved similarly beneficial at managing KOA with comparable improvements to knee pain, stiffness, and physical function, therefore with no optimal exercise modality identified. Benefits to KOA management was observed in everyone, including the elderly, obese, and those with severe KOA. Although, in those with severe KOA, walking was observed to only prevent further deterioration, rather than induce any symptomatic improvement. Furthermore, there was minimal difference between exercise modalities in relation to the improvements not only in KOA symptoms, but also modifiable KOA risk factors, adherence, adverse events, and QoL. Assessment of the dose-response relationship of each exercise modality showed that any dose of regular exercise was effective. Although, moderate intensity exercise performed three times weekly for 20-to-60-min appears optimal for KOA symptom control following most exercise modalities. Therefore, those with KOA should be encouraged to continue whatever exercise they currently do as should effectively manage symptoms, regardless of the modality or dose. However, those who do no exercise should use the present review in collaboration with clinicians via shared decision making to create a holistic exercise prescription. In summary, this review contributes to the literature through comprehensive discussion of different exercise modalities and doses in managing not only KOA symptoms, but modifiable KOA risk factors, exercise adherence, adverse events, and QoL. Additionally, summarised findings are discussed to give practical exercise recommendations to promote effective KOA management and recommendations for ongoing research.
AbstractThe purpose of the study was to assess whether people could be motivated in a simple way to cycle regularly to and from work during one year, and to assess whether this could lead to any health-related physiological benefits.
25 persons who cycled to and from work during one year were included in the study. Maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) and body mass index (BMI) were measured at baseline, after six months and after one year. Total-cholesterol (TC) and HDL-cholesterol (HDL) were measured at the start and the end of the project.
During the study VO 2max increased with 15.8 %; from 32.5 (8.1: SD) to 37.1 (7.6) ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) (p < 0.001). HDL-cholesterol increased with 15.3 %; from 1.31 (0.31) to 1.51 (0.40) mmol x l(-1) (p < 0.001). No changes were recorded for BMI. The numbers of cycling sessions were greatly reduced during the winter months because of poor cycling conditions.
This study shows that cycling to and from work may positively affect physiological variables and thereby have a beneficial health effect.
[Health effects of cycling to and from work].. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/44691730_Health_effects_of_cycling_to_and_from_work?_iepl%5BviewId%5D=vlhfJ5sF37zRwacB0gZJqK1c&_iepl%5BprofilePublicationItemVariant%5D=default&_iepl%5Bcontexts%5D%5B0%5D=prfpi&_iepl%5BtargetEntityId%5D=PB%3A44691730&_iepl%5BinteractionType%5D=publicationTitle [accessed Jul 12, 2017].
Although from a societal point of view a modal shift from car to bicycle may have beneficial health effects due to decreased air pollution emissions, decreased greenhouse gas emissions, and increased levels of physical activity, shifts in individual adverse health effects such as higher exposure to air pollution and risk of a traffic accident may prevail.Objective: We describe whether the health benefits from the increased physical activity of a modal shift for urban commutes outweigh the health risks.
We have summarized the literature for air pollution, traffic accidents, and physical activity using systematic reviews supplemented with recent key studies.
We quantified the impact on all-cause mortality when 500,000 people would make a transition from car to bicycle for short trips on a daily basis in the Netherlands. We have expressed mortality impacts in life-years gained or lost, using life table calculations. For individuals who shift from car to bicycle, we estimated that beneficial effects of increased physical activity are substantially larger (3-14 months gained) than the potential mortality effect of increased inhaled air pollution doses (0.8-40 days lost) and the increase in traffic accidents (5-9 days lost). Societal benefits are even larger because of a modest reduction in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and traffic accidents.
On average, the estimated health benefits of cycling were substantially larger than the risks relative to car driving for individuals shifting their mode of transport.
To our knowledge, research has not been conducted on bicycle riding and weight control in comparison with walking. Our objective was to assess the association between bicycle riding and weight control in premenopausal women.
This was a 16-year follow-up study of 18,414 women in the Nurses' Health Study II. Weight change between 1989 and 2005 was the primary outcome, and the odds of gaining more than 5% of baseline body weight by 2005 was the secondary outcome.
At baseline, only 39% of participants walked briskly, while only 1.2% bicycled for more than 30 min/d. For a 30-min/d increase in activity between 1989 and 2005, weight gain was significantly less for brisk walking (-1.81 kg; 95% confidence interval [CI], -2.05 to -1.56 kg), bicycling (-1.59 kg; 95% CI, -2.09 to -1.08 kg), and other activities (-1.45 kg; 95% CI, -1.66 to -1.24 kg) but not for slow walking (+0.06 kg; 95% CI, -0.22 to 0.35 kg). Women who reported no bicycling in 1989 and increased to as little as 5 min/d in 2005 gained less weight (-0.74 kg; 95% CI, -1.41 to -0.07 kg; P value for trend, <.01) than those who remained nonbikers. Normal-weight women who bicycled more than 4 h/wk in 2005 had a lower odds of gaining more than 5% of their baseline body weight (odds ratio, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.56 to 0.98) compared with those who reported no bicycling; overweight and obese women had a lower odds at 2 to 3 h/wk (odds ratio, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.34 to 0.86).
Bicycling, similar to brisk walking, is associated with less weight gain and an inverse dose-response relationship exists, especially among overweight and obese women. Future research should focus on brisk walking and greater time spent bicycling.
There is little research on the association of lifestyle exercise, such as active commuting (walking or biking to work), with obesity, fitness, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.
This cross-sectional study included 2364 participants enrolled in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study who worked outside the home during year 20 of the study (2005-2006). Associations between walking or biking to work (self-reported time, distance, and mode of commuting) with body weight (measured height and weight); obesity (body mass index [BMI], calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, >or= 30); fitness (symptom-limited exercise stress testing); objective moderate-vigorous physical activity (accelerometry); CVD risk factors (blood pressure [oscillometric systolic and diastolic]); and serum measures (fasting measures of lipid, glucose, and insulin levels) were separately assessed by sex-stratified multivariable linear (or logistic) regression modeling.
A total of 16.7% of participants used any means of active commuting to work. Controlling for age, race, income, education, smoking, examination center, and physical activity index excluding walking, men with any active commuting (vs none) had reduced likelihood of obesity (odds ratio [OR], 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.33-0.76), reduced CVD risk: ratio of geometric mean triglyceride levels (trig(active))/(trig(nonactive)) = 0.88 (95% CI, 0.80 to 0.98); ratio of geometric mean fasting insulin (FI(active))/(FI(nonactive)) = 0.86 (95% CI, 0.78 to 0.93); difference in mean diastolic blood pressure (millimeters of mercury) (DBP(active)) - (DBP(nonactive)) = -1.67 (95% CI, -3.20 to -0.15); and higher fitness: mean difference in treadmill test duration (in seconds) in men (TT(active)) - (TT(nonactive)) = 50.0 (95% CI, 31.45 to 68.59) and women (TT(active)) - (TT(nonactive)) = 28.77 (95% CI, 11.61 to 45.92).
Active commuting was positively associated with fitness in men and women and inversely associated with BMI, obesity, triglyceride levels, blood pressure, and insulin level in men. Active commuting should be investigated as a modality for maintaining or improving health.
Cycling is an affordable, convenient and achievable form of physical activity for all Australians.
This study was designed to examine the relationship between active transportation (defined as the percentage of trips taken by walking, bicycling, and public transit) and obesity rates (BMI > or = 30 kg . m-2) in different countries.
National surveys of travel behavior and health indicators in Europe, North America, and Australia were used in this study; the surveys were conducted in 1994 to 2006. In some cases raw data were obtained from national or federal agencies and then analyzed, and in other cases summary data were obtained from published reports.
Countries with the highest levels of active transportation generally had the lowest obesity rates. Europeans walked more than United States residents (382 versus 140 km per person per year) and bicycled more (188 versus 40 km per person per year) in 2000.
Walking and bicycling are far more common in European countries than in the United States, Australia, and Canada. Active transportation is inversely related to obesity in these countries. Although the results do not prove causality, they suggest that active transportation could be one of the factors that explain international differences in obesity rates.
Leisure-time physical activity can reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, but the potential effect of different types of physical activity is still uncertain. This study is to examine the relationship of occupational, commuting and leisure-time physical activity with the incidence of Type 2 diabetes.
We prospectively followed 6898 Finnish men and 7392 women of 35 to 64 years of age without a history of stroke, coronary heart disease, or diabetes at baseline. Hazards ratios of incidence of Type 2 diabetes were estimated by levels of occupational, commuting, and leisure-time physical activity.
During a mean follow-up of 12 years, there were 373 incident cases of Type 2 diabetes. In both men and women combined, the hazards ratios of diabetes associated with light, moderate and active work were 1.00, 0.70 and 0.74 (p=0.020 for trend) after adjustment for confounding factors (age, study year, sex, systolic blood pressure, smoking, education, the two other types of physical activity and BMI). The multivariate-adjusted hazards ratios of diabetes with none, 1 to 29, and more than 30 min of walking or cycling to and from work were 1.00, 0.96, and 0.64 (p=0.048 for trend). The multivariate-adjusted hazards ratios of diabetes for low, moderate, high levels of leisure-time physical activity were 1.00, 0.67, and 0.61 (p=0.001 for trend); after additional adjustment for BMI, the hazards ratio was no longer significant.
Moderate and high occupational, commuting or leisure-time physical activity independently and significantly reduces risk of Type 2 diabetes among the middle-aged general population.
Colon cancer incidence rates have been rapidly increasing in Shanghai, China, for reasons still unclear. Low physical activity is a known risk factor for colon cancer. The authors examined the effects of physical activity, particularly commuting physical activity, and its joint effects with body mass index on colon cancer risk in a population-based, case-control study. The study included 931 incident colon cancer patients and 1,552 randomly selected controls in Shanghai between 1990 and 1993. Colon cancer risk was significantly reduced among subjects with high commuting physical activity (odds ratio (OR) = 0.52, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.27, 0.87 for men; OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.21, 0.91 for women), particularly among those who had high commuting physical activity for at least 35 years (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.76 for men; OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.72 for women). Commuting physical activity significantly modified the risk conferred by high body mass index, with the highest risk observed among those at the highest quintile of body mass index and the lowest activity level (OR = 6.43, 95% CI: 1.82, 8.54 for men; OR = 7.42, 95% CI: 2.84, 10.01 for women). Our results suggest that regular and frequent physical activity over a long period of time protects from colon cancer and significantly modifies the body mass index-associated risk.
This investigation described the effects of exercise, walking, and cycling for transportation, as well as the effect of overall
nonexercise physical activity, on mortality in the Shanghai Women's Health Study (1997–2004). Women without heart disease,
stroke, or cancer were followed for an average of 5.7 years (n = 67,143), and there were 1,091 deaths from all causes, 537 deaths from cancer, and 251 deaths from cardiovascular diseases.
Information about physical activity and relevant covariates was obtained by interview. Proportional hazards models were used
to estimate adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Exercise and cycling for transportation were both inversely
and independently associated with all-cause mortality (ptrend < 0.05), but walking for transportation was less strongly associated with reduced risk (ptrend = 0.07). Women reporting no regular exercise but who reported 10 or more metabolic equivalent (MET)-hours/day of nonexercise
activity were at 25–50% reduced risk (ptrend < 0.01) relative to less active women (0–9.9 MET-hours/day). Among women reporting the least nonexercise activity (0–9.9
MET-hours/day) but reporting regular exercise participation, exercise was associated with reduced mortality (hazard ratio
= 0.78, 95% confidence interval: 0.62, 0.99). These findings add new evidence that overall physical activity levels are an
important determinant of longevity, and that health benefit can be obtained through an active lifestyle, exercise, or combinations
of both.
The purpose was to examine (1) the effect of cycling to work on physical performance; (2) the minimum weekly energy expenditure needed for fitness improvement based on the dose-response relationship between total caloric expenditure and fitness changes. Healthy, untrained men and women, who did not cycle to work, participated in a 1-year intervention study. Sixty-five subjects were asked to cycle to work at least three times a week. Fifteen subjects were asked not to change their living habits. All measurements were performed on three consecutive occasions, with 6 months in between. Maximal external power (P(max)), heart rate, respiratory exchange ratio and peak oxygen uptake (VO(2peak)) were assessed. Cycling characteristics and leisure time physical activities were reported in a dairy. A significant change over time between both groups was seen for VO(2peak) (/kg) in the total group and the women and for P(max) in the total group. Correlations were found between VO(2peak) (/kg) (r>/=0.40) and kcal/week and min/week. Preliminary results indicate that the minimum expended energy needed for the improvement of indexes of fitness is higher for men compared with women.
Background:
Although the benefit of physical activity on cardiovascular health has been well demonstrated, being physically active can be difficult for health care workers. Active commuting such as walking or cycling may be a good way to promote physical activity.
Aims:
To investigate the relationship between active commuting and cardiovascular disease risk factors in health care workers.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study of health care workers conducted in Chiang Mai University Hospital, Thailand. Information on demographics and lifestyle, including active commuting, was obtained from questionnaires. Results were analysed with multiple logistic regression, adjusting for other physical activity and possible confounders.
Results:
Among 3204 participants, fewer than half engaged in active commuting. After adjustment for poss ible confounders, low active commuting was associated with increased risk of hypertension [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-1.7]. High active commuting was associated with central obesity (aOR 1.4, 95% CI 1.0-1.8). Compared with non-active commuters, younger active commuters (aged under 40) had reduced prevalence of hypertension (aOR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-1.0), while older active commuters (aged 40 or over) demonstrated increased hypertension (aOR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.3) and central obesity (aOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1-2.1).
Conclusions:
We found conflicting evidence on the relationship between active commuting and cardiovascular risk factors. Reverse causation may explain the association between active commuting and hypertension and central obesity and should be investigated further.
Sixty-eight previously sedentary volunteers (38 men and 30 women) were randomly divided into active and control groups and subjected to a 10-week programme of walking or cycling while commuting to and from work. The active commuters and the controls complied with the programme on 75-78% and 92% that of cycling 10 km. Cardiorespiratory strain of approximately 50% of maximal oxygen uptake V̇(O2) (max) in walking and 60% of V̇(O2max) in cycling was observed. Statistically consistent improvements caused by active commuting were seen in cardiorespiratory responses to both maximal and submaximal work and in metabolic response to submaximal work. Cycling was more effective than walking. These findings indicate that low-intensity walking and cycling to and from work improved cardiorespiratory and metabolic fitness.
Context Studies have shown an inverse relationship between exercise and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), but data on type and intensity are sparse. Objective To assess the amount, type, and intensity of physical activity in relation to risk of CHD among men. Design, Setting, and Participants A cohort of 44452 US men enrolled in the Health Professionals' Follow-up Study, followed up at 2-year intervals from 1986 through January 31, 1998, to assess potential CHD risk factors, identify newly diagnosed cases of CHD, and assess levels of leisure-time physical activity. Main Outcome Measure Incident nonfatal myocardial infarction or fatal CHD occurring during the follow-up period. Results During 475755 person-years, we documented 1700 new cases of CHD. Total physical activity, running, weight training, and rowing were each inversely associated with risk of CHID. The RRs (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) corresponding to quintiles of metabolic equivalent tasks (METs) for total physical activity adjusted for age, smoking, and other cardiovascular risk factors were 1.0, 0.90 (0.78-1.04), 0.87 (0.75-1.00), 0.83 (0.71-0.96), and 0.70 (0.59-0.82) (P<.001 for trend). Men who ran for an hour or more per week had a 42% risk reduction (RR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.44-0.77) compared with men who did not run (P<.001 for trend). Men who trained with weights for 30 minutes or more per week had a 23% risk reduction (RR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.61-0.98) compared with men who did not train with weights (P=.03 for trend). Rowing for 1 hour or more per week was associated with an 18% risk reduction (RR, 0.82; 05% CI, 0.68-0.99). Average exercise intensity was associated with reduced CHD risk independent of the total volume of physical activity. The RRs (95% CIs) corresponding to moderate (4-6 MET's) and high (6-12 METs) activity intensities were 0.94 (0.83-1.04) and 0.83 (0.72-0.97) compared with low activity intensity (<4 ME Ts) (P=.02 for trend). A half-hour per day or more of brisk walking was associated with an 18% risk reduction (RR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.67-1.00). Walking pace was associated with reduced CHD risk independent of the number of walking hours. Conclusions Total physical activity, running, weight training, and walking were each associated with reduced CHID risk. Average exercise intensity was associated with reduced risk independent of the number of MET-hours spent in physical activity.
Background There is convincing evidence that regular physical activity reduces risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among men. However, only a few studies have been conducted among women. Most previous studies have focused on the effects of leisure-time physical activity on cardiovascular risk factors, without considering the impact of occupational or commuting physical activity.
Sixty-eight previously sedentary volunteers (38 men and 30 women) were randomly divided into active and control groups and subjected to a 10-week programme of walking or cycling while commuting to and from work. The active commuters and the controls complied with the programme on 75–78% and 92% of the workdays, respectively. The mean walking distance was 3.5 km and that of cycling 10 km. Cardiorespiratory strain of approximately 50% of maximal oxygen uptake V̇O2max in walking and 60% of V̇O2max in cycling was observed. Statistically consistent improvements caused by active commuting were seen in cardiorespiratory responses to both maximal and submaximal work and in metabolic response to submaximal work. Cycling was more effective than walking. These findings indicate that low-intensity walking and cycling to and from work improved cardiorespiratory and metabolic fitness.
Background: Physical activity is inversely related to cardiovascular diseases. However, the type of activities that contribute most to these beneficial effects remain unclear. For this reason, we investigated self-reported leisure time physical activities in relation to fatal/nonfatal cardiovascular disease incidence. Design: The Dutch Monitoring Project on Risk Factors for Chronic Diseases Study, carried out between 1993 and 1997, is a prospective cohort study of over 23 000 men and women aged 20-65 years from the general Dutch population. Methods: From 1994 till 1997 physical activity was assessed with a questionnaire in 7451 men and 8991 women who were followed for an average of 9.8 years. Cox proportional hazards models were used adjusting for age, sex, other physical activities, smoking, alcohol consumption, and educational level. Results: Almost the entire study population (97%) was engaged in walking, about 75% in regular cycling, and about half the population in sports or gardening. Cycling [hazard ratio (HR): 0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.71-0.95] and sports (HR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.64-0.87) were both inversely related to cardiovascular disease incidence, whereas walking and gardening were not. For sports (P<0.001), but not for cycling (P=0.06), we found a dose-response relationship with respect to cardiovascular disease incidence. Engaging in both cycling and sports resulted in an even greater risk reduction (HR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.52-0.77). Conclusion: In this relatively active population, types of activities of at least moderate intensity, such as cycling and sports were associated with lower CVD incidence, whereas activities of lower intensity, such as walking and gardening, were not
Physical activity is inversely related to cardiovascular diseases. However, the type of activities that contribute most to these beneficial effects remain unclear. For this reason, we investigated self-reported leisure time physical activities in relation to fatal/nonfatal cardiovascular disease incidence.
The Dutch Monitoring Project on Risk Factors for Chronic Diseases Study, carried out between 1993 and 1997, is a prospective cohort study of over 23000 men and women aged 20–65 years from the general Dutch population.
From 1994 till 1997 physical activity was assessed with a questionnaire in 7451 men and 8991 women who were followed for an average of 9.8 years. Cox proportional hazards models were used adjusting for age, sex, other physical activities, smoking, alcohol consumption, and educational level.
Almost the entire study population (97%) was engaged in walking, about 75% in regular cycling, and about half the population in sports or gardening. Cycling [hazard ratio (HR): 0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.71–0.95] and sports (HR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.64–0.87) were both inversely related to cardiovascular disease incidence, whereas walking and gardening were not. For sports (P < 0.001), but not for cycling (P = 0.06), we found a dose - response relationship with respect to cardiovascular disease incidence. Engaging in both cycling and sports resulted in an even greater risk reduction (HR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.52–0.77).
In this relatively active population, types of activities of at least moderate intensity, such as cycling and sports were associated with lower CVD incidence, whereas activities of lower intensity, such as walking and gardening, were not.
It is the purpose of this study to systematically review the evidence of school-based interventions targeting dietary and physical activity behaviour in primary (6-12 years old) and secondary school (12-18 years old) children in Europe. Eleven studies (reported in 27 articles) met the inclusion criteria, six in primary school and five in secondary school children. Interventions were evaluated in terms of behavioural determinants, behaviour (diet and physical activity) and weight-related outcomes (body mass index [BMI] or other indicators of obesity). The results suggest that combining educational and environmental components that focus on both sides of the energy balance give better and more relevant effects. Furthermore, computer-tailored personalized education in the classroom showed better results than a generic classroom curriculum. Environmental interventions might include organized physical activities during breaks, or before and after school; improved availability of physical activity opportunities in and around the school environment; increased physical education lesson time; improved availability or accessibility of healthy food options; and restricted availability and accessibility of unhealthy food options. More high-quality studies are needed to assess obesity-related interventions in Europe.
Few middle-aged and elderly people get enough exercise from sports or leisure-time physical activity. Therefore, the impact of everyday physical activity on health is a matter of interest. The main objective of this study was to establish whether bicycle use in everyday life is positively associated with health. A sample of 982 randomly selected men and 1,020 women age 50-70 were asked in a computer-assisted telephone interview to provide information including a self-assessment of their health and physical activity. Self-assessed health correlates positively with bicycle use in everyday life (OR = 1.257; 95% CI: 1.031-1.532). Likewise, people who regularly cycle for transport are less likely to have medical risk factors (OR = 0.794; 95% CI: 0.652-0.967). This negative correlation is not diminished when sporting activity is controlled for. This indicates that positive effects of physical activity on risk factors can be also achieved solely by integrating more physical activity into routine everyday life.
The purpose of this study was to describe the association of the overall and domain-specific physical activity on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. A large body of epidemiological evidence suggests a strong and consistent inverse association between physical activity and mortality risk. However, it is unclear how this association varies according to the domain of life in which the activity takes place.
In an English population-based cohort of 14,903 participants (mean age = 63 yr), total and domain-specific physical activity was assessed using a validated questionnaire (EPAQ2). After a median follow-up of 7 yr, there were 1128 deaths, with 370 from cardiovascular disease.
The relative risks (95% confidence interval) for all-cause mortality due to physical activity undertaken at home, during exercise, at work, for transport, and in total were 0.81 (0.66-0.99), 0.66 (0.54-0.80), 0.84 (0.55-1.30), 0.82 (0.67-1.00), and 0.77 (0.61-0.98), respectively, after adjustment for baseline age, sex, social class, alcohol consumption, smoking status, history of diabetes, history of cancer, and history of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Cardiovascular mortality was inversely associated with physical activity undertaken at home (P for trend = 0.03), during exercise (P for trend = 0.001), and in total (P for trend = 0.007). The results were unchanged after excluding individuals with a history of heart disease, stroke, and cancer at baseline and those who died within the first 2 yr of follow-up.
In this study, physical activities at home and during exercise are associated with lower risk of mortality, whereas occupational and transportation-related activities are not. Promoting the potential benefits of physical activity undertaken at home and during exercise may be an important public health message for aging populations.
This brief review examines whether active commuting is an effective method of controlling the current obesity epidemic and enhancing the cardiovascular health of the population. Of the many potential methods of active commuting, walking and cycling are the usual choices. Children and adolescents prefer cycling, but for adults issues of safety, cycle storage and company dress codes make walking the preferred option, particularly in North American cities, where urban design and weather conditions often do not favour cycling. Active transportation is more frequent in some European countries with dedicated cycle and pedestrian paths, but in most developed societies, active transportation has declined in recent years.
Attempts to increase walking behaviour in the sedentary population have had only limited success to date. A weekly gross energy expenditure of at least 4 MJ is recommended to reduce all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. This can be achieved by walking 1.9 km in 22 minutes twice per day, 5 days per week, or by cycling at 16 km/h for 11 minutes twice per day, 5 days per week. When engaged in level walking, the intensity of effort may be adequate for cardiovascular benefit in older adults, but in fit young workers, it is necessary to either increase the pace or choose a hilly route in order to induce cardio-respiratory benefit; in contrast, cycling is likely to provide an adequate cardiovascular stimulus even for young adults.
Empirical data to date have yielded mixed results: a reduced all-cause and cardiovascular mortality has been observed more frequently in cyclists than in walkers, and more frequently in women and older men than in young active commuters. More information is needed concerning the typical weekly dose of activity provided by active commuting, and the impact of such commuting on overall attitudes towards physical activity. It is also necessary to find better methods of involving the sedentary population, through both counselling and changes in urban design.
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of commuter cycling on physical performance. Eighty-seven male and 35 female employees volunteered to cycle regularly to their work.
Sixty-one participants went commuter cycling for 1 yr (cycling group); the others cycled only in the second half year (control group). A maximal exercise test on a cycle ergometer was carried out at the start of the study, after 6 months, and after 1 yr to measure maximal external power (Wmax) and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max).
After the first 6 months of commuter cycling, with a mean single trip distance of 8.5 km and a mean frequency of more than three times a week, a significant increase of 13% was found in the Wmax per kilogram body weight (Wmax x kg(-1)) in both sexes of the cycling group. The improvement in VO2max x kg(-1) was significant for the male participants (6%) but not for the female participants (-2%). At the end of the second half year, the control group also showed a mean gain in Wmax x kg(-1) of 13%. Their VO2max x kg(-1) declined in the first half year, but this was counteracted in the second half year. A dose-response relationship was found between two independent variables and the physical performance; the lower the physical performance at the start of the study and the higher the total amount of kilometers cycled, the higher the gain in Wmax. For subjects with a low initial fitness level, a single trip distance of only 3 km turned out to be enough to improve physical performance.
Commuter cycling can yield much the same improvement in physical performance as specific training programs.
Physical activity is associated with low mortality in men, but little is known about the association in women, different age groups, and everyday activity.
To evaluate the relationship between levels of physical activity during work, leisure time, cycling to work, and sports participation and all-cause mortality.
Prospective study to assess different types of physical activity associated with risk of mortality during follow-up after the subsequent examination. Mean follow-up from examination was 14.5 years.
Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Participants were 13,375 women and 17,265 men, 20 to 93 years of age, who were randomly selected. Physical activity was assessed by self-report, and health status, including blood pressure, total cholesterol level, triglyceride levels, body mass index, smoking, and educational level, was evaluated.
All-cause mortality.
A total of 2,881 women and 5,668 men died. Compared with the sedentary, age- and sex-adjusted mortality rates in leisure time physical activity groups 2 to 4 were 0.68 (95% confidence interval, 0.64-0.71), 0.61 (95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.66), and 0.53 (95% confidence interval, 0.41-0.68), respectively, with no difference between sexes and age groups. Within the moderately and highly active persons, sports participants experienced only half the mortality of nonparticipants. Bicycling to work decreased risk of mortality in approximately 40% after multivariate adjustment, including leisure time physical activity.
Leisure time physical activity was inversely associated with all-cause mortality in both men and women in all age groups. Benefit was found from moderate leisure time physical activity, with further benefit from sports activity and bicycling as transportation.
To examine the influence of physical activity on body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (W) and body mass changes (DeltaBMI) in middle-aged men, with special regard to moderate-intensity activities.
Longitudinal study of adults who participated in the PRIME Study.
A cohort of 8865 men aged 50-59 y, free of coronary heart disease.
BMI and W at baseline, body mass changes over a 5 y period. Detailed baseline assessment of net energy expenditure due to physical activity (PAE) in the preceding year, according to category of activity, by means of the MOSPA Questionnaire. PAE was expressed in weekly metabolic equivalent scores (MET h/week).
After adjustment for confounders, the multiple regression analyses indicated that BMI, W and DeltaBMI were inversely associated with PAE spent in getting to work (P<10(-5), <10(-5) and 0.04, respectively) and practice of high-intensity (>or=6 MET) recreational activities (<0.01, <10(-5) and <0.01). Men who regularly spent more than 10 MET h/week in walking or cycling to work had a mean BMI, W and DeltaBMI respectively 0.3 kg/m(2), 1 cm and 0.06 kg/m(2) lower than those who did not expend energy in getting to work. In the subgroup of subjects who did not perform high-intensity activities, the level of recreational PAE was inversely associated with BMI and W but not with subsequent weight-gain.
These findings indicate that, in middle-aged men, physical activities of moderate-intensity, which are probably easier to promote than more vigorous activities and, in particular, a more current daily activity, walking or cycling to work, may have a favourable effect on body fat markers and body mass gain.
Studies have shown an inverse relationship between exercise and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), but data on type and intensity are sparse.
To assess the amount, type, and intensity of physical activity in relation to risk of CHD among men.
A cohort of 44 452 US men enrolled in the Health Professionals' Follow-up Study, followed up at 2-year intervals from 1986 through January 31, 1998, to assess potential CHD risk factors, identify newly diagnosed cases of CHD, and assess levels of leisure-time physical activity.
Incident nonfatal myocardial infarction or fatal CHD occurring during the follow-up period.
During 475 755 person-years, we documented 1700 new cases of CHD. Total physical activity, running, weight training, and rowing were each inversely associated with risk of CHD. The RRs (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) corresponding to quintiles of metabolic equivalent tasks (METs) for total physical activity adjusted for age, smoking, and other cardiovascular risk factors were 1.0, 0.90 (0.78-1.04), 0.87 (0.75-1.00), 0.83 (0.71-0.96), and 0.70 (0.59-0.82) (P<.001 for trend). Men who ran for an hour or more per week had a 42% risk reduction (RR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.44-0.77) compared with men who did not run (P<.001 for trend). Men who trained with weights for 30 minutes or more per week had a 23% risk reduction (RR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.61-0.98) compared with men who did not train with weights (P =.03 for trend). Rowing for 1 hour or more per week was associated with an 18% risk reduction (RR, 0.82; 05% CI, 0.68-0.99). Average exercise intensity was associated with reduced CHD risk independent of the total volume of physical activity. The RRs (95% CIs) corresponding to moderate (4-6 METs) and high (6-12 METs) activity intensities were 0.94 (0.83-1.04) and 0.83 (0.72-0.97) compared with low activity intensity (<4 METs) (P =.02 for trend). A half-hour per day or more of brisk walking was associated with an 18% risk reduction (RR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.67-1.00). Walking pace was associated with reduced CHD risk independent of the number of walking hours.
Total physical activity, running, weight training, and walking were each associated with reduced CHD risk. Average exercise intensity was associated with reduced risk independent of the number of MET-hours spent in physical activity.
To assess what interventions are effective in promoting a population shift from using cars towards walking and cycling and to assess the health effects of such interventions.
Published and unpublished reports in any language identified from electronic databases, bibliographies, websites, and reference lists.
Systematic search and appraisal to identify experimental or observational studies with a prospective or controlled retrospective design that evaluated any intervention applied to an urban population or area by measuring outcomes in members of the local population.
22 studies met the inclusion criteria. We found some evidence that targeted behaviour change programmes can change the behaviour of motivated subgroups, resulting (in the largest study) in a shift of around 5% of all trips at a population level. Single studies of commuter subsidies and a new railway station also showed positive effects. The balance of best available evidence about publicity campaigns, engineering measures, and other interventions suggests that they have not been effective. Participants in trials of active commuting experienced short term improvements in certain measures of health and fitness, but we found no good evidence on effects on health of any effective intervention at population level.
The best available evidence of effectiveness in promoting a modal shift is for targeted behaviour change programmes, but the social distribution of their effects is unclear and some other types of intervention have yet to be rigorously evaluated.
Although previous studies suggest that physical activity may reduce the risk of hypertension, the role of daily life activity in the development of hypertension remains unclear.
The study population included 2548 Japanese male office workers aged 35 to 59 years, who were without hypertension (systolic blood pressure [SBP] <140 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure [DBP] <90 mm Hg, and no medication for hypertension) and had no history of cardiovascular disease. Daily life energy expenditure was estimated by a 1-day activity record during an ordinary weekday at study entry. Blood pressures were measured at periodic annual health examinations over 7 successive years.
After controlling for potential predictors of hypertension (age, family history of hypertension, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, regular physical exercise at entry, and change in body mass index during the follow-up period), mean SBP and DBP in each follow-up year decreased as daily life energy expenditure increased. With additional adjustment for SBP at entry, the relative risk of hypertension (SBP > or =140 mm Hg and/or DBP > or =90 mm Hg or medication for hypertension) across quartiles of daily life energy expenditure (lowest to highest) were 1.00, 0.84, 0.75, and 0.54 (P<.001 for trend). Analyses by presence or absence of a risk factor demonstrated that the risk of hypertension was inversely related to daily life energy expenditure in men at either low or high risk of hypertension. Daily life energy expenditure was also associated with reduced risk of hypertension for subjects in all 3 categories of normotension: low normal, normal, and high normal.
Increased daily life activity is effective for the prevention of hypertension, and this benefit applies to men at either low or high risk of hypertension.
The role of physical activity, especially that of occupational and commuting physical activity, in the prediction of stroke risk is not properly established. We assessed the relationship of different types of physical activity with total and type-specific stroke risk.
We prospectively followed 47 721 Finnish subjects 25 to 64 years of age without a history of coronary heart disease, stroke, or cancer at baseline. Hazard ratios (HRs) for incident stroke were estimated for different levels of leisure time, occupational, and commuting physical activity.
During a mean follow-up of 19.0 years, 2863 incident stroke events were ascertained. The multivariate-adjusted (age, sex, area, study year, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, cholesterol, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, diabetes, and other 2 types of physical activity) HRs associated with low, moderate, and high leisure time physical activity were 1.00, 0.86, and 0.74 (Ptrend<0.001) for total stroke, 1.00, 0.87, and 0.46 (Ptrend=0.011) for subarachnoid hemorrhage, 1.00, 0.77, and 0.63 (Ptrend=0.024) for intracerebral hemorrhage, and 1.00, 0.87, and 0.80 (Ptrend=0.001) for ischemic stroke, respectively. The multivariate-adjusted HRs associated with none, 1 to 29, and > or =30 minutes of active commuting were 1.00, 0.92, and 0.89 (Ptrend=0.043) for total stroke, and 1.00, 0.93, and 0.86 (Ptrend=0.028) for ischemic stroke, respectively. Occupational activity had a modest association with ischemic stroke in the multivariate analysis (Ptrend=0.046).
A high level of leisure time physical activity reduces the risk of all subtypes of stroke. Daily active commuting also reduces the risk of ischemic stroke.
There is convincing evidence that regular physical activity reduces risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among men. However, only a few studies have been conducted among women. Most previous studies have focused on the effects of leisure-time physical activity on cardiovascular risk factors, without considering the impact of occupational or commuting physical activity.
Four independent cross-sectional surveys were carried out at 5-year intervals within the framework of the FINMONICA studies in 1982, 1987, 1992 and 1997.
An independent random sample was drawn from the national population register for each survey. The samples were stratified by sex and 10-year age categories according to the WHO MONICA protocol. The survey consisted of a self-administered questionnaire.
Not only leisure-time physical activity, but also commuting activity was directly associated with high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and was inversely related to body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference among both men and women. High occupational physical activity was related to high HDL-cholesterol levels and high total serum cholesterol levels in both sexes and to lower BMI, waist circumference and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in men. High leisure-time physical activity was associated with reduced DBP among both men and women, whereas high occupational physical activity was related to lower DBP only among men.
Not only leisure-time physical activity but also commuting activity is associated with reduced levels of some cardiovascular risk factors. All forms of physical activity should be promoted to reduce CVD in the population.
Active travel to school provides an opportunity for daily physical activity. Previous studies have shown that walking and cycling to school are associated with higher physical activity levels. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the way that children and adolescents travel to school is associated with level of cardiovascular fitness.
Participants were recruited via a proportional, two-stage cluster sample of schools (N = 25) in the region of Odense, Denmark as part of the European Youth Heart Study (EYHS). Nine hundred nineteen participants (529 children, age 9.7 +/- 0.5 yr; 390 adolescents, age 15.5 +/- 0.4 yr) completed a maximal cycle ergometer test to assess cardiorespiratory fitness (Wmax x kg(-1)). Mode of travel to school was investigated by questionnaire. Physical activity was measured in 531 participants using an accelerometer. Regression analyses with robust standard errors and adjustment for confounders (gender, age, body composition (skinfolds), pubertal status, and physical activity) and the cluster sampling procedure were used to compare fitness levels for different travel modes. Multinomial logistic regression was applied to assess the odds for belonging to quartiles of fitness.
Children and adolescents who cycled to school were significantly more fit than those who walked or traveled by motorized transport and were nearly five times as likely (OR 4.8; 95% CI 2.8-8.4) to be in the top quartile of fitness.
Cycling to school may contribute to higher cardiovascular fitness in young people.
Risk reduction of myocardial infarction has been shown for leisure time physical activity. The results of studies on occupational physical activity and risk of myocardial infarction are incongruous and studies on commuting activity are scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate how commuting activity, occupational physical activity and leisure time physical activity were associated with risk of future first myocardial infarction.
We used a prospective incident case-referent study design nested in Västerbotten Intervention Program and the Northern Sweden MONICA study.
Commuting habits, occupational physical activity, leisure time physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors were assessed at baseline screening and compared in 583 cases (20% women) with a first myocardial infarction and 2098 matched referents.
Regular car commuting was associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction versus commuting by bus, cycling or walking [odds ratio (OR) 1.74; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.20-2.52] after multivariate adjustment. High versus low leisure time physical activity was associated with reduced risk of myocardial infarction (OR 0.69; 95% CI, 0.50-0.95) after adjustment for occupational physical activity and commuting activity, but the association was not statistically significant after further multivariate adjustment. After multivariate adjustment we observed a reduced risk for myocardial infarction in men with moderate (OR 0.70; 95% CI, 0.50-0.98) or high (OR 0.67; 95% CI, 0.42-1.08) versus low occupational physical activity.
We found a clear association between car commuting and a first myocardial infarction and a corresponding inverse association with leisure time physical activity, while the impact of occupational physical activity on the risk of myocardial infarction was weaker.
Leisure time physical activity is inversely associated with cardiovascular risk, although evidence for the protective effects of active commuting is more limited. The present review examines evidence from prospective epidemiological studies of commuting activity and cardiovascular risk.
Meta-analytic procedures were performed to examine the association between commuting physical activity and cardiovascular risk. Several cardiovascular endpoints were examined including mortality, incident coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension and diabetes.
We included eight studies in the overall analysis (173,146 participants) that yielded 15 separate risk ratios (RR). The overall meta-analysis demonstrated a robust protective effect of active commuting on cardiovascular outcomes (integrated RR=0.89, 95% confidence interval 0.81-0.98, p=0.016). However, the protective effects of active commuting were more robust among women (0.87, 0.77-0.98, p=0.02) than in men (0.91, 0.80-1.04, p=0.17).
Active commuting that incorporates walking and cycling was associated with an overall 11% reduction in cardiovascular risk, which was more robust among women. Future studies should investigate the reasons for possible gender effects and also examine the importance of commuting activity intensity.
To investigate the association between means of transportation to work and overweight+obesity and obesity.
The 2004 public health survey in Skåne is a cross-sectional postal questionnaire study of the population aged 18-80 with a 59% response rate including 16,705 employed participants.
Forty-six percent of men and 26.6% of women were overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9); 11.6% of men and 10.3% of women were obese (BMI 30.0-); 18.2% of men and 25.9% of women bicycled and/or walked to work and 10.4% and 16.2% used public transportation, respectively. In contrast, 68.3% of men and 55.8% of women went to work by car. The odds ratios of overweight+obesity among persons who walked or bicycled were significantly lower and remained 0.62 (95% CI 0.51-0.76) among men and 0.79 (95% CI 0.67-0.94) among women in the models including all confounders compared to the car driving reference category. The odds ratios of obesity were initially significantly lower among both men and women who walked or bicycled, but in the final models only among women. The odds ratios of overweight+obesity as well as obesity were also lower among men using public transportation.
Walking and bicycling to work are significantly negatively associated with overweight+obesity and, to some extent, obesity. Public transportation is significantly negatively associated with overweight+obesity and obesity among men.
The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between various modes of transport to work and overweight and obesity, in men and women.
The study was conducted using data from a representative sample of 6810 respondents who reported being in the workforce, extracted from the 2003 New South Wales Adult Health Survey, Australia. Logistic regression modeling adjusted for potential confounders.
Men who cycled to work were significantly less likely to be overweight and obese (39.8%) compared with those driving to work (60.8%), with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.49 (95% CI: 0.31-0.76) and much less likely to be obese (5.4%) with an adjusted odds ratio 0.34 (95% CI: 0.13-0.87). Men who used public transport to work were also significantly less likely to be overweight and obese (44.6%) with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.65 (95% CI: 0.53-0.81). However, these inverse relationships were not found in women.
These findings support recommendations to cycle to work or use public transport as a strategy to maintain healthy weight for men. Although healthy weight cannot be causally attributed to cycling and use of public transport in this study, the link is plausible, and increased cycling and use of public transport would have positive benefits for the environment and health in any case.
The purpose of this study was to examine if a 1-year lifestyle intervention study (cycling to work) has an influence on coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors and health-related quality of life, in previously untrained healthy adults. Healthy, untrained men and women, who did not cycle to work, participated in an intervention study. Sixty-five subjects (intervention group: IG) were asked to cycle to work at least 3 times a week and 15 controls (CG) were asked not to change their living habits. All measurements were performed on 3 consecutive occasions, with 6 months in between. Physical performance, venous blood samples, blood pressure (BP), and the SF-36 Health Status Survey were assessed. Cycling characteristics and leisure-time physical activities were reported in a dairy. Total cholesterol (TC), LDL, TC/HDL and diastolic BP decreased and HDL increased significantly in the IG. TC and LDL decreased significantly in the CG. Vitality for the total group and physical functioning for women significantly changed over time between IG and CG in the first 6 months. These results show that cycling to work has a positive influence on CHD risk factors and is likely to improve the health-related quality of life in previously untrained healthy adults.
To investigate relationships between physical activities in different domains (leisure time, occupational, domestic, commuting) and health indicators (self-rated health, body mass index).
The short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and additional questions on domain specific physical activity were submitted face-to-face to 29,193 individual's age 15 years and older in the 27 member states of the Europe Union, 2 affiliated nations (Croatia, Turkey), and Cyprus North in 2005 as part of Eurobarometer 64.3.
Leisure time physical activity (compared to no leisure time physical activity) was positively associated with self-rated health (males: Odds Ratio (OR)=2.85, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 2.27, 3.58; females: OR=2.77, 95% C.I. 2.16, 3.56) and inversely with obesity (males: OR=0.65, 95% C.I. 0.50, 0.83; females: OR=0.46, 95% C.I. 0.34, 0.63). Being in the highest quartile of the total volume of physical activity expressed using metabolic equivalents (in MET-min/week) (compared to being in the lowest quartile) was not related to self-rated health (males: OR=0.99, 95% C.I. 0.81, 1.21; females: OR=1.19, 95% C.I 0.98, 1.43) or obesity (males: OR=1.25, 95% C.I., 0.99, 1.59; females: OR=1.26, 95% C.I. 1.02, 1.57). Gender-specific effects were observed for other domains of physical activity. Analysis on national levels showed pronounced relationships of leisure time physical activity to health indicators.
Domains of physical activity being related to health indicators, they may pertain to surveillance.
In many Western countries, there are concerns about declining levels of physical activity in school-aged children. Active transport is one way to increase physical activity in children, but few studies have evaluated whether active transport in school-aged children and adolescents has beneficial effects on fitness and, if so, whether different modes of transport affect different aspects of fitness. In this study, we examined the association of active transport with different aspects of fitness in a representative Danish sample of 545 boys and 704 girls, 15-19 years of age. Physical fitness was assessed through a number of field tests, including a maximal cycle test, dynamic and static strength in different muscle groups, muscle endurance, flexibility and agility. Transport to school was reported as the mode of transport. Almost two-thirds of the population cycled to school. Cyclists had higher aerobic power than both walkers and passive travelers (4.6-5.9%). Isometric muscle endurance (10-16%), dynamic muscle endurance in the abdominal muscles (10%) and flexibility (6%) were also higher in cyclists compared with walkers and passive travelers. Mode of travel was not related to leisure-time sports participation. Our findings suggest that commuter bicycling may be a way to improve health in adolescents.
To investigate whether change in transport to school from non-cycling to cycling was associated with change in cardio-respiratory fitness (CRF) over a six-year follow-up.
Participants were 384 children (9.7 (0.5) years) who participated in the Danish arm of the European Youth Heart Study in 1997 and who were followed up 6 years later. CRF was assessed by a maximal cycle ergometer test and travel to school was investigated by questionnaire at both time points. Linear regression models were used to investigate associations between CRF and change in mode of travel to school between baseline and follow-up.
Higher CRF was significantly associated with cycling to school in children and adolescents of both sexes. Longitudinal regression models showed that a change in travel mode from non-cycling to cycling was a significant predictor of CRF at follow-up (P<0.001) after adjustment for potential confounders. Participants who did not cycle to school at baseline, but who had changed to cycling at follow-up, were significantly fitter (0.33 W kg(-1)) than those who did not cycle to school at either time point (P=0.001), a difference of 9%.
Cycling to school may contribute to higher cardiovascular fitness in young people.
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