IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i5p2550-d756067.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Bicycle Touring 480 km in Seven Days: Effects on Body Composition and Physical Fitness—A Case Study

Author

Listed:
  • David Zúñiga-Moreno

    (PROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health through Physical Activity” Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain)

  • Francisco J. Amaro-Gahete

    (PROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health through Physical Activity” Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
    EFFECTS-262 Research Group, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain)

  • Palma Chillón

    (PROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health through Physical Activity” Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain)

Abstract

Bicycle touring as a modality of physical activity that involves whole-body cardiorespiratory and metabolic functions could be a potential strategy to improve body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of 7-days bicycle touring activity on body composition and physical fitness. A total of 13 individuals (three women) participated in this quasi-experimental study. The participants were evaluated at baseline and were tracked for up to 12 days after the intervention. The intervention consisted of a 480 km bicycle touring route performed over 8 days. Body weight and body composition (i.e., fat mass and lean mass) were assessed using a bioelectrical impedance analyser. Physical fitness was measured using the International Fitness Scale questionnaire. We conducted a repeated-measures analysis of variance to determine changes in body weight and body composition and paired sample t -tests to analyse changes in physical fitness. Significant differences in fat mass were observed between the baseline and both post-intervention ( p = 0.003) and re-test values ( p = 0.031). Significant differences were also noted in lean mass between the baseline and post-intervention values ( p = 0.003), whereas no significant changes were observed when compared the baseline and re-test values ( p = 0.178). Significant differences were obtained in cardiorespiratory fitness when comparing the baseline with the post-intervention values ( p = 0.016), whereas no significant differences were noted in general fitness, muscular strength, speed/agility, and flexibility (all p > 0.05). In conclusion, a 7-day bicycle touring intervention can significantly reduce fat mass and increase lean mass and cardiorespiratory fitness in healthy individuals.

Suggested Citation

  • David Zúñiga-Moreno & Francisco J. Amaro-Gahete & Palma Chillón, 2022. "Bicycle Touring 480 km in Seven Days: Effects on Body Composition and Physical Fitness—A Case Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-13, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:5:p:2550-:d:756067
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/5/2550/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/5/2550/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Patrizia Gazzola & Enrica Pavione & Daniele Grechi & Paola Ossola, 2018. "Cycle Tourism as a Driver for the Sustainable Development of Little-Known or Remote Territories: The Experience of the Apennine Regions of Northern Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-19, June.
    2. Han, Heesup & Meng, Bo & Kim, Wansoo, 2017. "Bike-traveling as a growing phenomenon: Role of attributes, value, satisfaction, desire, and gender in developing loyalty," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 91-103.
    3. Watthanaklang, Duangdao & Ratanavaraha, Vatanavongs & Chatpattananan, Vuttichai & Jomnonkwao, Sajjakaj, 2016. "Measuring the motivation to ride bicycles for tourism through a comparison of tourist attractions," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 153-163.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Buongiorno, Alessandro & Intini, Mario, 2021. "Sustainable tourism and mobility development in natural protected areas: Evidence from Apulia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    2. Šebešová Adriana & Kršák Branislav, 2018. "Notes on the impact of cycling infrastructure on tourist destination management," Acta Geoturistica, Sciendo, vol. 9(2), pages 24-27, December.
    3. Sunwoo Park & Hyejin Yoon & Chulmo Koo & Won Seok Lee, 2021. "Role of the Leisure Attributes of Shared Bicycles in Promoting Leisure Benefits and Quality of Life," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-11, January.
    4. Francesca Simeoni & Veronica De Crescenzo, 2018. "Ecomuseums (on Clean Energy), Cycle Tourism and Civic Crowdfunding: A New Match for Sustainability?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-16, March.
    5. Osakwe, Christian Nedu & Hudik, Marek & Říha, David & Stros, Michael & Ramayah, T., 2022. "Critical factors characterizing consumers’ intentions to use drones for last-mile delivery: Does delivery risk matter?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    6. Mauro Romanelli & Patrizia Gazzola & Daniele Grechi & Francesca Pollice, 2021. "Towards a sustainability‐oriented religious tourism," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(3), pages 386-396, May.
    7. Patrizia Gazzola & Enrica Pavione & Roberta Pezzetti & Daniele Grechi, 2020. "Trends in the Fashion Industry. The Perception of Sustainability and Circular Economy: A Gender/Generation Quantitative Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-19, April.
    8. Heesup Han & Antonio Ariza-Montes & Pilar Tirado-Valencia & Soyeun Lee, 2020. "Volunteering Attitude, Mental Well-Being, and Loyalty for the Non-Profit Religious Organization of Volunteer Tourism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-16, June.
    9. JunHui Wang & Yunseon Choe & HakJun Song, 2020. "Brand Behavioral Intentions of a Theme Park in China: An Application of Brand Experience," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-13, June.
    10. Bogdan Włodarczyk & Waldemar Cudny, 2022. "Individual Low-Cost Travel as a Route to Tourism Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-21, August.
    11. Tong, Xinjia & Chen, Yuangao & Zhou, Shasha & Yang, Shuiqing, 2022. "How background visual complexity influences purchase intention in live streaming: The mediating role of emotion and the moderating role of gender," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    12. Jinsoo Hwang & Hyunjoon Kim, 2020. "The Effects of Expected Benefits on Image, Desire, and Behavioral Intentions in the Field of Drone Food Delivery Services after the Outbreak of COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    13. Shaochen Xu & Xiaofei Zhou & Zeeshan Ahmad, 2022. "Measuring the Psychological Behavior of Tourism Service Providers in Low-Income Regions: Implementing Effective Service Marketing and Performances Strategies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-18, September.
    14. Ronan de Kervenoael & Rajibul Hasan & Alexandre Schwob & Edwin Goh, 2020. "Leveraging human-robot interaction in hospitality services: Incorporating the role of perceived value, empathy, and information sharing into visitors’ intentions to use social robots," Post-Print hal-02782265, HAL.
    15. Untaru, Elena-Nicoleta & Han, Heesup, 2021. "Protective measures against COVID-19 and the business strategies of the retail enterprises: Differences in gender, age, education, and income among shoppers," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    16. Nripendra Singh & Jongsik Yu & Antonio Ariza-Montes & Heesup Han, 2023. "Exploring the impact of functional, symbolic, and experiential image on approach behaviors among state-park tourists from India, Korea, and the USA," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-14, December.
    17. Gianni Petino & Giuseppe Reina & Donatella Privitera, 2021. "Cycling Tourism and Revitalization in the Sicilian Hinterland: A Case Study in the Taormina–Etna District," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-19, September.
    18. Minhui Lin & Haichao Xu, 2022. "Subjective Bodily Experiences of Island Cyclists in Different Contexts: The Case of Hainan Island, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-15, August.
    19. Cater, Carl I., 2017. "Tourism on two wheels: Patterns of motorcycle leisure in Wales," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 180-189.
    20. Yahua Bi & Insin Kim, 2020. "Older Travelers’ E-Loyalty: The Roles of Service Convenience and Social Presence in Travel Websites," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:5:p:2550-:d:756067. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.