title: Associations between bicycling and carotid arterial stiffness in adolescents: The European Youth Hearts Study.
abstract: The aim of the study was to investigate the associations between bicycling and carotid arterial stiffness, independent of objectively measured moderate-and-vigorous physical activity. This cross-sectional study included 375 adolescents (age 15.7 ± 0.4 years) from the Danish site of the European Youth Heart Study. Total frequency of bicycle usage was assessed by self-report, and carotid arterial stiffness was assessed using B-mode ultrasound. After adjusting for pubertal status, body height, and objectively measured physical activity and other personal lifestyle and demographic factors, boys using their bicycle every day of the week displayed a higher carotid arterial compliance {standard beta 0.47 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.07-0.87]} and distension [standard beta 0.38 (95% CI -0.04 to 0.81)]. Boys using their bicycle every day of the week furthermore displayed a lower Young's elastic modulus [standard beta -0.48 (95% CI -0.91 to -0.06)]. Similar trends were observed when investigating the association between commuter bicycling and carotid arterial stiffness. These associations were not observed in girls. Our observations suggest that increasing bicycling in adolescence may be beneficial to carotid arterial health among boys.
authors.affiliation: The Centre of Inflammation and Metabolism (CIM), Centre for Physical Activity Research (CFAS), Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.|The Danish Diabetes Academy, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ried-Larsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Research Unit for Exercise Epidemiology, Centre of Research in Childhood Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grøntved
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Research Unit for Exercise Epidemiology, Centre of Research in Childhood Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Østergaard
authors.affiliation: Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Research Unit for Exercise Epidemiology, Centre of Research in Childhood Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Froberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Research Unit for Exercise Epidemiology, Centre of Research in Childhood Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.|Department of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Research Unit for Exercise Epidemiology, Centre of Research in Childhood Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Møller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D003187:Compliance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D059289:Vascular Stiffness
keywords: Actigraph; Physical activity; carotid stiffness; exercise; transportation; vascular health