Physical activity of electric bicycle users compared to conventional bicycle users and non-cyclists: Insights based on health and transport data from an online survey in seven European cities

Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Mailin Gaupp-Berghausen¹  Michelle Laeremans²  Sonja Kahlmeier²  Tom Cole-Hunter²  Esther Anaya-Boig³  Elisabeth Raser³  Anna Clark³  Arnout Standaert³  Mark Nieuwenhuijsen⁴  Regine Gerike⁴  Luc Int Panis⁴  Audrey de Nazelle⁴  Thomas Götschi⁵  David Rojas-Rueda⁵  Christian Brand⁶  Ione Avila-Palencia⁷  Evi Dons⁸  Alberto Castro⁹ 

[1] Corresponding author at: Hirschengraben 84, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland;Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium;Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium;IS Global, Barcelona, Spain;Imperial College London, Centre for Environmental Policy, London, United Kingdom;Technische Universität Dresden, Institute of Transport Planning and Road Traffic, Dresden, Germany;Trivector, Lund, Sweden;University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Institute for Transport Studies, Vienna, Austria;University of Zurich, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Zurich, Switzerland;

关键词: Electric bicycles;    Physical activity;    Transport;    Health;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Physical activity has been widely associated with beneficial health effects. The use of electric-assist bicycles (e-bikes) can lead to increased or decreased physical activity, depending on the transport mode substituted.This study aimed to compare physical activity levels of e-bikers and conventional bicycle users (cyclists) as well as across e-bike user groups based on the transport mode substituted by e-bike. Physical activity, transport and user related parameters were analysed. Data from the longitudinal on-line survey of the PASTA project were used. The survey recruited over 10,000 participants in seven European cities.Physical activity levels, measured in Metabolic Equivalent Task minutes per week (MET min/wk), were similar among e-bikers and cyclists (4463 vs. 4085). E-bikers reported significantly longer trip distances for both e-bike (9.4 km) and bicycle trips (8.4 km) compared to cyclists for bicycle trips (4.8 km), as well as longer daily travel distances for e-bike than cyclists for bicycle (8.0 vs. 5.3 km per person, per day, respectively). Travel-related activities of e-bikers who switched from cycling decreased by around 200 MET min/wk., while those switching from private motorized vehicle and public transport gained around 550 and 800 MET min/wk. respectively.Therefore, this data suggests that e-bike use leads to substantial increases in physical activity in e-bikers switching from private motorized vehicle and public transport, while net losses in physical activity in e-bikers switching from cycling were much less due to increases in overall travel distance.

【 授权许可】

Unknown