Older E-bike Users: Demographic, Health, Mobility Characteristics, and Cycling Levels

Purpose Electric bicycles (e-bikes) may offer an opportunity to stimulate physical activity among older adults. The current study compared Flemish (Belgian) older e-bike users against those not using an e-bike on socio-demographics, health characteristics and access to motorized transport. Additionally, it examined the association between e-bike use and levels of cycling and the moderating effects of sex, BMI and cycling limitations. Methods An online- or interview-version of the same questionnaire were completed by 1146 participants. Data were analysed using logistic regression and hurdle models. Results Women, those with a higher BMI and those with one (compared to no) motorized vehicle in the household had higher odds of being an e-bike user. E-bike use was related to higher odds of having cycled for transport in the past week and this relationship was stronger among those with a higher BMI (low BMI: OR= 1.89, 95% CI= 1.24-2.91; high BMI: OR= 3.34, 95% CI= 2.26-5.00). Among those who cycled for transport in the last week, e-bike use was associated with 35% more minutes of cycling for transport (95% CI= 17-56%). E-bike use was related to 183% higher odds of having biked for recreation (95% CI= 115-274%). Among women and those with cycling limitations who cycled for recreation in the last week, e-bike use was also related to 57% (95% CI= 18-109%) and 180% (95% CI= 63-381%) more minutes of cycling for recreation, respectively. Conclusion E-bikes may provide an opportunity to promote cycling among older adults, particularly among subgroups at risk for physical inactivity. Corresponding author: Jelle Van Cauwenberg, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. +32 9 332 83 72. jelle.vancauwenberg@ugent.be JVC was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship of the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, 12I1117N). The authors declare that they do not have professional relationships with companies or manufacturers who will benefit from the results of the present study. The results of the present study do not constitute endorsement by ACSM. The authors declare that the results of the study are presented clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation. © 2018 American College of Sports Medicine

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