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Transit Rider Body Mass Index Before and After Completion of Street Light-Rail Line in Utah
Barbara B Brown1, Ken R Smith1, Wyatt A Jensen1
1All of the authors are with the Department of Family and Consumer Studies, University of Utah, Salt Lake City. Barbara B. Brown and Ken R. Smith are also with the Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City.
Objectives:
To determine whether 2012 to 2015 (times 1-3) ridership changes correlated with body mass index (BMI) changes after transit line completion in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Methods:
We used Global Positioning System/accelerometry-measured transit ridership measures in 2012 to 2013 (times 1-2) to compare objective and self-reported ridership. Regression models related changes in objectively measured ridership (times 1-2) and self-reported ridership (times 1-2 and times 1-3) to BMI changes, adjusting for control variables.
Results:
Objective and self-reported ridership measures were consistent. From time 1 to 2 (P = .021) or to 3 (P = .015), BMI increased among self-reported former riders and decreased among new riders (P = .09 for both times 1-2 and times 1-3), although the latter was nonsignificant. Time 3 attrition adjustment had no effect on results. Adjusting for baseline BMI, the nonsignificant effect for new riders remained nonsignificant, indicating no BMI change; the BMI increase after discontinuing transit remained significant.
Conclusions:
Observed BMI increases subsequent to stopping transit ridership persisted for more than 2 years (postintervention). These results suggest that transit ridership protects against BMI gains and support the need to provide convenient transit for public health.
