Bicycling and brisk walking prevent weight gain over time

Women who regularly bicycle and walk briskly are less likely to gain weight over an extended period of time, especially among those who are obese and overweight, data suggested.

A 16-year follow-up study included data on 18,414 premenopausal women in the Nurses’ Health Study II between 1989 and 2005. Study outcomes were weight change and the odds of gaining 5% of baseline body weight by 2005.

At baseline, 39% of participants reported walking briskly and only 1.2% bicycled for longer than 30 minutes per day.

Women who participated in physical activities recorded significantly less weight gain compared with women who did not, with a loss of 1.81 kg for brisk walking (95% CI, –2.05 to –1.56), 1.59 kg for bicycling (95% CI, –2.09 to –1.08) and 1.45 kg for other activities (95% CI, –1.66 to –1.24). However, women who walked slowly gained 0.06 kg (95% CI, –0.22 to 0.35).

Women who did not bicycle at baseline and who increased their activity to a minimum of 5 minutes per day by study completion gained less weight (–0.74 kg; 95% CI, –0.22 to 0.35 kg) compared with non-bikers.

Compared with those who did not bicycle, normal-weight women who reported bicycling more than 4 hours per week in 2005 had 0.74 odds (95% CI, 0.56-0.98) of gaining more than 5% of their baseline body weight. Overweight and obese women who participated in 2 to 3 hours per week had 0.54 odds (95% CI, 0.34-0.86).

The researchers noted several study limitations, including no random sample; self-reported data; intensity levels and total physical activity not recorded; and no distinction between stationary and regular bicycles.

Lusk AC. Arch Intern Med. 2010;170:1050-1056.