Bike-sharing systems: Effects on physical activityin a Spanish municipality

Abstract

Introduction: Urban mobility (such as walking or biking) and public Bike-Sharing Systems (BSS) have begun to emerge through programs and services that drive change from the strong culture of dependence on motor vehicles in most developed countries. At the international level, the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations (UN) opted to establish objectives for sustainable development, addressing the need to establish changes in urban mobility. The World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded that physical inactivity and being overweight / obesity are the fourth and fifth risk factors for non-communicable diseases in the world, respectively. The objective of this study is to know if a BSS has been able to serve as a means of promoting Physical Activity (PA) in the urban environment. Material and Methods: A quantitative and longitudinal study has been designed with data collection and analysis from July 2009 to January 2012. The sample consisted of a total of 3,268 users and a total of 59998 observations were recorded (Men: n = 42,411; Women: n = 17,587). SPSS 21.0 and ANOVA were used for statistical analysis. Results: Users between the ages of 20 and 44 have spent an average of 30.7 minutes, between 45 and 64 years an average of 36 minutes and between 65 and 79 years an average of 51.1 minutes. Conclusions: The data suggest that the WHO (2010) PA recommendations may be being met. BSS can favor the practice of PA in the urban environment, and thus, be able to promote less polluted and traffic-congested environments. Men from 65 to 79 years old have had the most average minutes of use. The routes that took the most minutes were those that go between the same stations and those that pass between stations on the urban outskirts.