Effects of e-biking on older adults' biking and walking frequencies, health, functionality and life space area: A prospective observational study. (February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Van Cauwenberg, Jelle; Schepers, Paul; Deforche, Benedicte; de Geus, Bas
• Is Part Of: Transportation research. Volume 156(2022)
• Page Start: 227
• Page End: 236
• Publication Date: 2022-02
• Subjects: Mobility -- Pedelec -- Physical activity -- Active travel -- Healthy ageing; Transportation -- Research -- Periodicals; 388.011
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2021.12.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0965-8564

Abstract

Highlights: First prospective observational study among older adults on this topic. Starting to e-bike associated with more frequent overall biking. Starting to e-bike associated with less frequent conventional biking. Starting to e-bike not associated with health benefits. Future research should use objective measures of biking, health and life space area. Abstract: The current prospective observational study among Flemish and Dutch older adults aimed to examine the effects of starting to e-bike on total and conventional biking frequencies, walking for transport, self-rated health, functionality and life space area. We observed a large increase in total biking frequency among those who started e-biking, while frequencies decreased in those who did e-bike at both time points, did not e-bike at both time points and stopped e-biking. Conventional biking frequencies decreased in all groups. No effects were observed on walking for transport, self-rated health and life space area. Functionality tended to decrease in all groups, except among those who stopped e-biking for whom no change in functionality was observed. In conclusion, e-bikes offer older adults a possibility to increase their biking levels and potentially extend their life on a bike. Future studies should use objective measures of biking volume and intensity, health and life space area and confirm whether current findings are generalizable to other regions.