By Charles Pekow — One more reason to promote bikeshare: it can improve physical fitness. A study done in Philadelphia and published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that those who joined a bikeshare did more “moderate and vigorous physical activity” after they did. To maintain the benefits, people will have to ride a lot over a long period of time, according to “Changes in Physical Activity after Joining a Bikeshare Program: A Cohort of New Bikeshare Users”: https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-022-01353-6
The study followed 1,031 new members over a year from various demographic and income backgrounds with a median age of 30. Some members already owned a bike and a few others bought one over the year. Benefits accrued to people in all groups if they rode regularly.
The study suggests that cities get more people to use bikeshare and to encourage those who have signed up to use it more. It’s good for their own health!
