Table 3.
Group comparisons (mean±SE) between passive travel and active commuting (walking, cycling) in body composition, physical fitness and cardiometabolic risk factors adjusted for age, smoking, measurement site, leisure-time and occupational physical activity
| Passive travel (n=568) | Active commuting (n=181) | Cycling (n=105) | Walking (n=76) | |
| Body composition | ||||
| Body mass (kg) | 82.2±15.1 (81.0–83.5) | 79.0±14.2 (76.9–81.1) | 77.4±13.3 (74.8–80.1)* | 81.1±15.2 (77.6–84.6) |
| Body mass index | 25.3±0.2 (24.9–25.7) | 24.6±0.3 (24.0–25.3) | 24.4±0.4 (23.5–25.2)* | 25.0±0.5 (24.1–26.0) |
| Waist circumference (cm) | 87.9±0.50 (86.9–88.9) | 86.2±0.87 (84.4–87.9) | 85.3±1.1 (83.1–87.5)* | 87.4±1.3 (84.8–89.9) |
| Physical fitness | ||||
| VO2max (mL/kg/min) | 39.8±0.3 (39.2–40.5) | 41.8±0.59 (40.67–42.98)*** | 44.1±0.7 (42.7–45.6)*** | 38.6±0.8 (36.9–40.3)† |
| Standing long jump (cm) | 226.9±1.2 (224.5–229.2) | 223.5±2.10 (219.3–227.6) | 224.9±2.7 (219.7–230.2) | 221.4±3.1 (215.3–227.5) |
| Sit-ups (reps/min) | 33.5±0.5 (32.5–34.5) | 34.8±0.9 (33.1–36.5) | 35.2±1.1 (33.0–37.3) | 34.4±1.3 (31.9–36.9) |
| Push-ups (reps/min) | 27.7±0.6 (26.6–28.9) | 25.4±1.0 (23.3–27.4)* | 25.6±1.3 (23.1–28.2) | 25.0±1.5 (22.0–27.9) |
| Maximal strength in bench press (N) | 3425±39 (3256–3424) | 3315±70 (3178–3452)* | 3087±94 (2903–3271)* | 3254±109 (3041–3468) |
| Maximal strength in leg extension (N) | 869±10 (850–888) | 805±17 (771–838)*** | 775±21 (733–817)*** | 847±25 (798–895)‡ |
| Cardiometabolic risk factors | ||||
| Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 123.9±0.6 (122.8–125.0) | 122.4±1.0 (120.4–124.3) | 122.3±1.2 (119.9–124.8) | 122.3±1.4 (119.5–125.1) |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 75.1±0.4 (74.2–75.9) | 74.6±0.7 (73.1–76.0) | 74.3±0.9 (72.5–76.1) | 74.9±1.1 (72.8–77.0) |
| HDL-cholesterol (mmol/L) | 1.39±0.02 (1.36–1.42) | 1.41±0.03 (1.35–1.46) | 1.39±0.04 (1.32–1.45) | 1.44±0.04 (1.36–1.51) |
| LDL-cholesterol (mmol/L) | 2.72±0.04 (2.65–2.80) | 2.65±0.06 (2.52–2.78) | 2.61±0.08 (2.45–2.78) | 2.71±0.10 (2.52–3.00) |
| Triglycerides (mmol/L) | 1.14±0.03 (1.09–1.20) | 1.11±0.05 (1.01–1.20) | 1.11±0.06 (0.98–1.23) | 1.11±0.07 (0.97–1.25) |
| Apo-A (g/L) | 0.40±0.01 (0.38–0.41) | 0.42±0.01 (0.39–0.44) | 0.41±0.02 (0.38–0.44) | 0.43±0.02 (0.39–0.46) |
| Apo-B (µg/L) | 0.79±0.01 (0.77–0.81) | 0.80±0.01 (0.77–0.83) | 0.79±0.02 (0.75–0.84) | 0.81±0.03 (0.76–0.86) |
| Apo-A/Apo-B ratio | 2.05±0.03 (1.99–2.11) | 2.08±0.05 (1.97–2.18) | 2.03±0.07 (1.90–2.16) | 2.13±0.08 (1.99–2.28) |
| Plasma glucose (mmol/L) | 4.89±0.02 (4.85–4.94) | 4.83±0.04 (4.74–4.92) | 4.82±0.05 (4.73–4.92) | 4.72±0.05 (4.61–4.83) |
| Insulin (mlU/L) | 5.07±4.35 (4.70–5.43) | 4.41±3.07 (3.96–4.87) | 4.28±3.33 (3.50–5.05) | 4.52±2.87 (3.95–5.08) |
| HbA1c (mmol/mol) | 31.55±0.15 (31.27–32.25) | 31.47±0.25 (30.99–31.95) | 31.59±0.32 (30.96–32.23) | 31.53±0.37 (30.80–32.25) |
| Inflammatory factors | ||||
| Adiponectin (mmol/L) | 6.34±0.12 (6.10–6.59) | 6.43±0.22 (6.01–6.85) | 6.33±0.28 (5.79–6.87) | 6.57±0.31 (5.95–7.18) |
| IL-6 (pg/mL) | 1.17±0.07 (1.04–1.31) | 1.32±0.12 (1.08–1.56) | 1.34±0.16 (1.03–1.64) | 1.29±0.18 (0.93–1.65) |
| CRP (pg/mL) | 1.60±0.16 (1.27–1.92) | 1.68±0.33 (1.04–2.32) | 1.46±0.39 (0.70–2.22) | 1.52±0.46 (0.61–2.42) |
*p<0.05 significant difference compared with passive travel; ***p<0.001 significant difference compared with passive travel.
†p<0.001 significant difference compared with cycling.
‡†p<0.05 significant difference compared with cycling.
Apo-A1, apolipoprotein A1; Apo-A, apolipoprotein A; Apo-B, apolipoprotein B; CRP, C reactive protein; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; IL-6, interleukin-6; LDL, low-density lipoprotein.