Promoting cycling: a review of interventions.

Area of Science:

• Public Health Interventions
• Transportation Studies
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Systematic review of interventions to promote cycling.
• Included controlled trials and before-and-after studies.
• Excluded studies using stationary bicycles.

Discussion:

• Individual counseling and incentives showed significant increase in daily cycling for women with abdominal obesity.
• Combined educational and promotional activities increased recreational cycling but not cycling to school.
• Improved urban connectivity and infrastructure were associated with increased household cycle trips and bicycle trips.
• Promotional programs, including cycle training and bike hire, increased cycle path usage but not overall cycling prevalence.
• Media campaigns, cyclist services, and infrastructure improvements led to increased cycling frequency and reduced inactivity.
• Individualized marketing and incentives resulted in modest increases in self-reported cycling trip frequency.

Key Insights:

• Individual and community interventions, infrastructure enhancements, and targeted marketing can promote cycling.
• Reported cycling increases were generally modest and often self-reported.
• Interventions showed varied effects on different cycling behaviors (e.g., commuting vs. recreational).
• Some interventions led to reduced inactivity but not necessarily increased moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

Outlook:

• Environmental changes combined with advice and support are crucial for substantial and sustainable increases in population cycling.
• Further research is needed to identify optimal strategies for widespread cycling adoption.
• Integration of multiple intervention strategies may yield greater population-level impact.