Citation

Nehme EK, Perez A, Ranjit N, Amick BC, Kohl HW. J. Phys. Act. Health 2015; 13(1): 36-43.

Affiliation

Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas School of Public Health, Austin Regional Campus.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Human Kinetics Publishers)

DOI

10.1123/jpah.2014-0469

PMID

25898366

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Transportation bicycling is a behavior with demonstrated health benefits. Population-representative studies of transportation bicycling in U.S. are lacking. This study examined associations between sociodemographic factors, population density and transportation bicycling, and described transportation bicyclists by trip purposes, using a U.S.-representative sample.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study used 2009 National Household Travel Survey datasets. Associations among study variables were assessed using weighted multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS: On a typical day in 2009, 1% of Americans older than five years of age reported a transportation bicycling trip. Transportation cycling was inversely associated with age, and directly with being male, with being white, and with population density (≥10000 vs. <500 people/sq mi: OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.54-5.05). Those whose highest level of education was a high school diploma or some college were least likely to bicycle for transportation. Twenty-one percent of transportation bicyclists reported trips to work, while 67% reported trips to social or other activities.

CONCLUSION: Transportation bicycling in the US is associated with sociodemographic characteristics and population density. Bicycles are used for a variety of trip purposes, which has implications for transportation bicycling research based on commuter data, and for developing interventions to promote this behavior.

KW: SR2S

Language: en