Background
To successfully stimulate cycling, it is necessary to understand the factors that
facilitate or inhibit cycling. Little is known about how changes in the neighborhood
environment are related to changes in cycling behavior.
Purpose
This study aimed to identify environmental determinants of the uptake of cycling after
relocation.
Methods
The RESIDential Environment Project (RESIDE) is a longitudinal natural experiment
of people moving into new housing developments in Perth (Western Australia). Self-reported
usual transport and recreational cycling behavior, as well as self-reported and objective
built environmental factors were measured before and after residential relocation.
Participants who did not usually cycle at baseline in 2003–2004 were included in the
study. Logistic regression models were used to relate changes in built environmental
determinants to the probability of taking up cycling after relocation (2005–2006).
Analyses were carried out in 2010–2011.
Results
At baseline, 90% (n=1289) of the participants did not cycle for transport and 86% (n=1232) did not cycle for recreation. After relocation, 5% of the noncyclists took
up transport-related cycling, and 7% took up recreational cycling. After full adjustment,
the uptake of transport-related cycling was determined by an increase in objective
residential density (OR=1.54, 95% CI=1.04, 2.26) and self-reported better access to
parks (OR=2.60, 95% CI=1.58, 4.27) and other recreation destinations (OR=1.57, 95%
CI=1.12, 2.22). Commencing recreational cycling mostly was determined by an increase
in objective street connectivity (OR=1.20, 95% CI=1.06, 1.35).
Conclusions
Changes in the built environment may support the uptake of cycling among formerly
noncycling adults.
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© 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
