Correlates of bike share use and its association with weight status at an urban university

BACKGROUND: Research on the influences on bike share use and potential favorable relationships between use and obesity is limited, particularly in the U.S. context. Therefore, the aims of this exploratory study were to examine correlates of awareness and use of Boston’s Bluebikes bike share system and assess the association between use and weight status. METHODS: Students, faculty, and staff (n = 256) at a public urban university completed an online survey that assessed sociodemographic, behavioral, and physical activity characteristics, Bluebikes awareness, and use of Bluebikes and personal bikes. Multivariable logistic regression models were estimated to examine associations between sociodemographic and behavioral factors and bike share awareness and use; and between use and overweight/obesity status. RESULTS: Respondents were mostly students (72.2%), female (69.1%), White (62.1%), and the mean age was 32.4±13.8 years. The percentage of respondents classified as aware of Bluebikes was 33.6% with only 12.9% reporting any use of the system. Living in a community where bike share stations were located (odds ratio (OR) = 2.01, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10, 3.67), personal bike ownership (OR = 2.27, 95% CI:1.27, 4.45), and not exclusively commuting to campus via car (OR = 3.19, 95% CI:1.63, 6.22) had significant positive associations with awareness. Living in a bike share community (OR = 2.34; 95% CI:1.04, 5.27) and personal bike ownership (OR = 3.09; 95% CI:1.27, 7.52) were positively associated with bike share use. Any reported use of Bluebikes was associated with 60% lower odds of being overweight/obese (OR = 0.40; 95% CI:0.17, 0.93). CONCLUSIONS: Several environmental and behavioral variables, including access to stations and personal bicycle ownership, were significantly associated with Bluebikes awareness and use. Findings also suggest a potential benefit to bike share users in terms of maintaining a healthy weight, though further longitudinal studies are needed to rule out the possibility that more active and leaner individuals tend to use bike share more frequently.