Bicycle use for transport in an Australian and a Belgian city: associations with built-environment attributes.
The walkability attributes of neighborhood environments (residential density, land use mixture, and connectedness of streets) have been found to be associated with higher rates of walking. However, relatively less is known about the associations of walkability attributes with bicycle use for transport. We examined the relationships between adults' bicycle use for transport and measures of neighborhood walkability in two settings: an Australian city (Adelaide) with low rates of bicycle use and a Belgian city (Ghent) with high rates of bicycle use. A total of 2,159 and 382 participants were recruited in Adelaide and Ghent, respectively. A walkability index was derived from objectively measured data in Adelaide, while a similar index was derived from perceived measures in Ghent. Logistic regression models were employed to examine associations of bicycle use with different levels of walkability. There were higher rates of bicycle ownership for Ghent compared to Adelaide participants (96% versus 61%), and there was a higher prevalence of bicycle use for transport for Ghent compared to Adelaide participants (50% vs. 14%). Despite the large differences in bicycle ownership and use, living in a high-walkable neighborhood was associated with significantly higher odds of bicycle use for transport in both cities, after adjusting for relevant confounding factors. Built-environment innovations that are increasingly being advocated by health authorities and transport planners, primarily to promote higher rates of walking for transport, should also impact positively on bicycle use.
Owen
Neville
N
Cancer Prevention Research Centre, School of Population Health, The University of Queensland, Herston Road, Herston, QLD, 4006, Australia. n.owen@sph.uq.edu.au.
De De Bourdeaudhuij
Ilse
I
Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Sugiyama
Takemi
T
Cancer Prevention Research Centre, School of Population Health, The University of Queensland, Herston Road, Herston, QLD, 4006, Australia.
Leslie
Eva
E
School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
Cerin
Ester
E
Institute of Human Performance, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
Van Van Dyck
Delfien
D
Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Bauman
Adrian
A
Centre for Physical Activity and Health, School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D001530:Belgium; D001642:Bicycling; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult