THE USE OF BICYCLES AS A MEANS OF TRANSPORT IN A MOUNTAIN CITY, ACCORDING TO THE PHYSICAL CONDITION OF PEOPLE WHO ARE OVER 30 YEARS OLD
JANAINA AMORIM DIAS1; MARCONI GOMES DA SILVA2; RODRIGO GOMES DA SILVA3.
1Arquiteta do Grupo TECTRAN, 2,3 Hospital das Clínicas – UFMG; 2Diretor da SPORTIF – Clínica do Exercício e do Esporte
INTRODUCTION
Figure 3 ‐ Altimetry
The active urban mobility and its relation to the health of the population have encouraged the
study of non‐motorized means of transportation. Therefore, we have proposed a study on the
use of bicycles in the mountainous city of Belo Horizonte, located in Brazil, in the State of
Minas Gerais. People in this city have not develop the habit of commuting by bicycle on a
daily basis probably because, in the past, these vehicles were heavier and did not have the
technology that is available today.
OBJETIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in the participants’ clinical parameters
during a predefined journey, using the bicycle as the means of transportation. People over 35
years old and with different functional capacities were studied, one group being formed by
Going
Return
sedentary individuals and the other one by physically active individuals, according to criteria
RESULTS
used by the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO defines physical activity as any bodily
Pre‐participation questionnaire
movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure – including
Figure 2 ‐ Factors that limit the use of bicycles in Belo Horizonte among participants
activities undertaken while working, playing, carrying out household chores, travelling, and
engaging in recreational pursuits. Physically active individuals should do at least 150 minutes
of moderate‐intensity physical activity throughout the week.
METHOD
22 volunteers: 11 subjects physically active and 11 sedentary subjects. The groups had similar
characteristics.
0%
10%
20%
Poor infrastructure
Falta
de Infraestrutura
Table 1 – Participant group features
50%
60%
Relief
Relevo
70%
Praticidade
Praticidade
80%
90%
100%
Poor fitness
Condicionamento
Físico
Figure 3 ‐ Comparison of Heart Rate
100%
% Heart rate (HR)
90%
Minimum
Maximum
40%
Insecurity
Insegurança
Data along the path
Sedentary
(< 150 min per
week)
Average
Minimum
Maximum
Avaerage
Minimum
Maximum
All subjects
average
Anrhropometric
measurements
Physically active
subjects
(> 150min per week)
30%
80%
70%
P < 0,05
P > 0,05
P < 0,05
60%
P < 0,05
50%
40%
43,2
Age (years)
59
30
43,5
56
31
42,8
59
30
Weight (kg)
74,2
92
53
73
92
53
75,5
83
60
Height (meters)
Body Mass Index
(BMI) = W/H2
1,71
1,82
1,58
1,71
1,81
1,58
1,71
1,82
1,61
25,3
30,7
21,2
24,7
28,1
21,2
26,0
30,9
21,3
Time spent per week in
physical activity
(minutes per week)
153
360
0
253
360
150
51
120
0
30%
P > 0,05
20%
10%
0%
FC Repouso rest
Heart rate at
FC Subida
1
HR First
measure
FC Subidameasure
2
HR Second
FC Subida
3
HR Third
measure
FC Chegada
HR Final measure
Todos os pares
Ativos Sedentary
Sedentários All
Physically active
subjects
subjects
Figure 4 ‐ Borg’s Scales of Perceived Exertion
Average Borg’ Scale
5
Athletes and people who suffer from any severe cardiovascular disease were excluded. The
4
total length of the journey was 5.2 km, 3.8 km of which taking place on a bicycle path. The
3
volunteer participants made the same journey accompanied by a cyclist doctor and each of
them carried a backpack of 3 kg to simulate the weight of a baggage of everyday use. It was
performed a comparison of the physiological impact (heart rate, blood pressure, presented
2
1
0
(P < 0,05)
Borg
Subida
1
Borg
First
measure
Ativos
Physically active
subjects
symptoms) and of the modified Borg's scale of subjective perception. The participants filled in
a questionnaire form before and after the completion of the course.
Borg
Subida
2
Borg
Second
measure
Sedentary
Sedentários
Borg
Third
measure
Borg
Subida
3
Borg
Final measure
Borg
Geral
Todos os pares
All
subjects
After participation questionnaire
Figure 5 – After riding a bike, what is your opinion about riding a bike in Belo Horizonte?
Figure 1 – Route Plan (5,2 km)
Easier than Iimagined
Feasible with
acceptable effort
Feasible with
significant effort
Physically active
Hard, not feasible
Sedentary
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that the relief was not an impediment for most people to complete the
course, no matter their different physical abilities. This reinforces the importance of
stimulating the practice of physical exercises among all age groups. Recent studies have
shown that active urban mobility not only promotes health benefits, but also makes cities
healthier and more sustainable. New studies should be conducted with the aim of
overcoming barriers related to the relief, as well as those related to age, that might
discourage the use of bicycles in mountain cities.
Figure 2 – Borg scale modified
Not at all
Very light
light
Moderate
Somewhat
hard
Hard
REFERENCES
Very Hard Very very Hard ‐ maximal 1. ABRACICLO. Associação Brasileira dos Fabricantes de Motocicletas, Ciclomotores, Motonetas, Bicicletas e Similares. Disponível em: http://abraciclo.com.BR/imagens/stories/dados_setor/bicicletas/produo%20mundial2011.pdf
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