Luis Gomez, MD MPH¹, Olga Sarmiento, MD MPH PhD², Diego Lucumi, MD MPH¹, and Gladis Espinosa, MSc³. (1) Health Division, Fundación FES Social, Cra 7 # 73-55. Room 1202, Bogota, Colombia, 57(1) 3 130882, lfgomez@fundacionfes.org, (2) Department of Social Medicine & Centro de Estudios e Información en Salud, School of Medicine, Universidad de los Andes, Calle 119 # 9-32, Bogota, Colombia, (3) Health Department, Health Department of Bogotá DC, Colombia, calle 59# 46-17 Int 12 Apto 202, Bogota, Colombia

Background: Bogotá's infrastructure for pedestrian and bike-ways to promote bicycling and walking can be important and regular sources of physical activity for adults. Methods: This study estimated the prevalence and the factors associated with walking and bicycling for transport among a probability sample of 1,465 young adults (age 18-29yrs). The study was conducted during the year 2002 in two low-income localities of Bogotá (Santafe,Tunjuelito), one of which is part of CARMEN, an initiative of the Pan American Health Organization to reduce risk factors associated with non-communicable diseases. Results: Overall, 16.7% adults reported bicycling for transport for at least 10 minutes during the last 7 days. In contrast, 71.7% adults reported walking for transport for at least 90 minutes during the last 7 days. Bicycling was less likely among women, (adjusted prevalence odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 0.13 [0.08,0.21]), adults with college education (0.42 [0.19,092]) and more likely among those affiliated to community groups (2.99[1.49,6.02]), who live in Tunjuelito (hilly terrain) (2.94[1.96 –4.42]), who usually use the “ciclovía” (main avenues are restricted for motor vehicles on Sundays for recreational purposes) (2.28[1.32 –3.93]) or who reported irregular physical activity during leisure time (1.83[1.26,2.67]). Walking was less likely among housewives (0.65[0.48,0.89]), those who live in Tunjuelito (0.58[0.43,0.79]) and more likely among those who reported inactive physical activity during leisure time (2.71[1.52,4.82]). Conclusion: Differences in socio-demographic, social and physical environmental factors associated with bicycling and walking should be considered when developing strategies to promote physical activity programs involving bicycling or walking in Bogotá.

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will be able to identify factors associated with bicycling and walking for transport among low income young adults residents of Bogotá.
• Apply the findings of this study when developing strategies to promote physical activity programs in Bogotá.
• Determine the factors associated with bicycling and walking in a city in a developing country like Bogotá, where there has been substantial investment in infrastructure for pedestrian-ways and bike-ways.

Keywords: Physical Activity, Urban Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.