Measuring the Product Environment: How Do Automobiles and Bicycles Influence Health Behaviors?
A new consumer survey looks at how our transportation modes influence our health habits.
This report is the third in a series of reports on the results of a consumer survey on health-related behaviors and the influence of popular products and services. Fielded by Building H, a project to build health into everyday life, the surveys examined the influences of social media, video games, automobiles, and bicycles on eating habits, physical activity, sleep, and other behaviors. This report is based on survey questions that focus specifically on automobiles and bicycles. More information on the survey project can be found here.
Key Findings
- Automobile owners who reported commuting 30 minutes or longer were four (4) times more likely (49%) to report eating fast food three (3) or more times per week than people with shorter commutes (11%) and more than twice as likely (75%) to pick up fast food at the drive through once or more during the week than people with shorter commutes (34%).
- Individuals spending an hour or more daily in their vehicles are notably more likely to visit drive-thru fast-food outlets at least once weekly (81%) compared to those with less vehicle time (45%) and tend to consume fast food three (3) or more times per week at a higher rate (28%) than the former (17%).
- Seventy-eight (78) percent of cargo bike owners (electric or manual) and 74% of e-bike owners reported riding their bicycles at least weekly, as compared with 39% of traditional bike owners.
- Automobile owners (56%) were nearly 3 times more likely to report typically using an automobile or a ride-hailing service for trips of 1/2 mile to one mile than e-bike owners (19%) or people who do not own automobiles.
- Bicycle owners cited “exercise” and “fun and pleasure” as by far the most common primary purposes for trips taken via bike. Practical purposes, such as “shopping and errands” and “commuting” were less likely to be reported as primary purposes.
- Truck owners spend more time outdoors than owners of sedans, SUVs, and minivans.
- A higher percentage (79%) of frequent bike users report spending one or more hours outdoors per day compared to infrequent bike users (52%) and the general population (55%).
Introduction
How does automobile use affect people’s eating habits?
How often do bicycle owners ride their bikes, and, when they do, for what purposes?
Answering questions like these is vital to our work at Building H. Our primary emphasis is on the “product environment” — encompassing the array of commercial products and services that intricately interlace into the tapestry of daily existence — and its impact on human health. Through the Building H Index, we analyze how popular products and services mold the health behaviors of individuals who engage with them. Delving into the intricacies of products such as various modes of transportation, such as vehicles and bicycles, and their effects on eating habits, physical activity, sleeping, social engagement, and getting time outdoors, we embarked on a journey of deeper understanding.
Building H contracted with the research firm Verasight to conduct a comprehensive survey targeting US consumers. The survey aimed to explore consumer behavior regarding various commercial products and services, as well as their health-related practices. Participants were questioned about their usage patterns and experiences concerning popular social media platforms, video and computer games, automobiles, and bicycles. Additionally, the survey delved into their dietary choices, physical activity levels, sleep patterns, outdoor exposure, and particularly, their social interactions and experiences. The online survey was administered to a diverse sample of over 3,100 US adults, ensuring representation across various demographic groups. Data collection took place between August 22 and September 5, 2023.
This report focuses on five behaviors: eating habits, physical activity, sleeping, social engagement, and spending time outdoors, and how the use of automobiles and bicycles influences them.
Findings
Demographics of Bicycle Owners
Our survey data show that bicycle owners are broadly representative of the population with three exceptions: bicycles are sold more to men, and their owners tend to skew slightly younger and more affluent.
Demographics of Automobile Owners
Our survey found automobile owners to be broadly representative of the population with two exceptions: they’re more likely to be men and they tend to skew more affluent.
Types of Vehicles
We analyzed the demographics and lifestyle preferences of automobile owners across a spectrum of manufacturers. Our study placed particular emphasis on understanding the characteristics and behaviors of individuals who own vehicles produced by Ford, General Motors, Stellantis, Honda, and Toyota, which represent the most popular manufacturers in the US market. We did the same with bicycle owners, with a specific focus on the owners of bicycle manufacturers Cannondale, Trek, Specialized, Giant, and Rad Power Bikes. Rad Power Bikes produces solely electric bicycles.
Automobile Manufacturers
Toyota had the oldest group of owners, with 53% aged 50 and above, while Honda claimed the youngest demographic, with 57% under 50 years old. Ford held the highest percentage of male ownership at 52%, and GM reported the highest percentage of female ownership at 53%. Honda had the greatest number of owners earning above $100,000 per year (30%), while General Motors held the highest percentage of owners with annual incomes below $100,000 (79%).
Bicycle Manufacturers
Rad Power Bikes showed the highest percentage of male ownership at 70%, while Cannondale claimed the highest percentage of female ownership at 47%. Trek had the oldest group of owners, with 36% aged 50 and above, whereas Rad Power Bikes reported the youngest demographic, with 88% under 50 years old. Rad Power Bikes also exhibited the greatest number of owners with incomes surpassing $100,000 per year, in contrast to Trek, which had the highest percentage of owners with annual incomes below $100,000 at 70%.
Bicycle Usage Patterns
Bicycles offer a multitude of uses and can adapt to various lifestyles — or remain unused altogether, reflecting the diverse range of bike types, some of which are tailored to specific purposes and preferences. We asked respondents about the type of bicycle they own — traditional (pedal-powered) bicycles, electric bicycles (or “e-bikes”), and cargo bikes, as well as how often they use their bicycle and for what purpose(s). Note that these types are not mutually exclusive, as cargo bikes can be electric or traditionally powered.
Bicycles serve as conduits for physical activity and mobility and fulfill diverse roles in transportation, recreation, and fitness. Their usage can extend beyond personal mobility to include the transport of goods or products. Our survey found that bicycle owners use them for, in order of popularity: exercise; fun/pleasure; commuting to and from work or school; shopping and other errands; and visiting friends or partaking in other social activities. The results — which show exercise and fun or pleasure far ahead of the more practical uses — demonstrate how using bicycles is typically seen as an “extra” activity, versus something embedded into the routines of everyday life.
We also sorted the question of purposes for bike use by the type of bicycle and by leading manufacturers. One finding was that electric bike owners, including those with cargo bikes, tend to prioritize shopping or running errands more than traditional bike owners. Additionally, there is notable variation among traditional bike owners in how they prioritize shopping and errands, with some brands’ owners ranking it higher in importance than others.
Bicycle Usage Frequency
A notable portion of bicycle owners ride their bikes weekly but not daily, with a smaller percentage riding daily or multiple times per day.
- A substantial portion of bicycle owners (22%) indicated that they ride their bicycles two or more times per week but not daily.
- Eight (8) percent of respondents reported riding their bicycles daily, and a smaller percentage (4%) reported riding multiple times per day.
- Not surprisingly, we found that a higher percentage (45%) of frequent bike users¹ report two one-half hours or more of physical activity per week compared to infrequent bike users² (25%).
Interestingly, our consumer research found that e-bike and cargo bike owners commonly ride their bicycles several times a week or even daily, unlike traditional bike owners, who ride less frequently.
- Seventy-eight (78) percent of cargo bike owners (electric or manual) and 74% of e-bike owners reported riding their bicycles at least weekly, as compared with 39% of traditional bike owners.
This finding is consistent with other research studies, which have shown that riders who use electric bicycles tend to ride more miles per week and get slightly more physical activity compared to riders of traditional bicycles.³
Influence on Health Behaviors
In addition to capturing data on demographics and use patterns, we studied how ownership and use of both automobiles and bicycles were associated with a set of key health behaviors: eating; physical activity; sleeping; engaging socially; and spending time outdoors.
Eating Habits
For this survey, we asked respondents a series of questions about their eating habits, looking at the frequency of eating home-cooked meals, having meals delivered, eating fast food, and picking up food at drive-thrus.
Bicycle Usage and Eating Habits
Bicycles exert a modest influence on dietary behaviors. While they can serve as a means to acquire prepared meals or procure groceries, their utility for grocery shopping seems to be constrained by limitations in carrying capacity, as this aspect is typically regarded as infrequently employed by most bicycle owners in our research. Cargo bicycles, however, present a distinct scenario, featuring designated cargo compartments that enable riders to transport larger quantities of groceries with more ease, and electric cargo bicycles additionally offer greater speed capability.
Our survey found that only 23% of all bike owners ranked shopping or running errands as one of the top two (of five) most important uses of their bicycles.
Automobile Usage and Eating Habits
People who drive more and who have longer commutes eat fast food meals more frequently, are more likely to pick up food at a drive-thru, have more meals delivered, and eat home-cooked meals less often. Note that researchers have found 70% of meals served at fast food restaurants to be of poor nutritional quality.⁴
Physical Activity
In order to study physical activity, we asked survey respondents about their overall amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week and about their choice of transportation mode (e.g. walking, bicycling, driving) for trips of different distances.
Bicycle Usage and Physical Activity
As previously mentioned, bicycle use fundamentally leads to increased physical activity. Not surprisingly, those who use bikes frequently tend to engage in more weekly physical activity compared to infrequent users. We found that a higher percentage (45%) of frequent bike users⁵ report two and one-half hours or more of physical activity per week compared to infrequent bike users⁶ (25%). Additionally, e-bike owners (19%), frequent bikers (23%), and cargo bike owners (27%) are less likely to use automobiles for short trips compared to non-bike owners (59%) and traditional bike owners (46%).
Automobile Usage and Physical Activity
At a fundamental level, automobiles substitute certain journeys potentially undertaken through active modes, such as walking or bicycling, with a sedentary mode of transportation. Our survey results show that people who do not own automobiles are less likely to use them (or ride shares) for short trips. (Approximately half of US residents opt for their vehicles or ride-sharing services for short-distance travel ranging from half a mile to one mile.) Also, automobile owners who spend considerable time in their vehicles prefer this mode of transport for such short trips over more active alternatives.
- 50% of US residents use their vehicles or a ride-sharing service to travel short distances of one-half mile to one mile.
- Fifty-six (56) percent of automobile owners use their vehicle or ride-sharing service instead of other potentially more active forms of transportation for short trips of one-half mile to one mile, compared to only 17% of non-automobile owners.
- Fifty-seven (57) percent of respondents who spend one or more hours in their vehicle per day use their vehicle or ride-sharing service for these short trips, as do sixty-one (61) percent of those who own more than one vehicle.
We also examined how automobile use habits by owners of vehicles made by the leading manufacturers. The differences across different manufacturers were relatively minor, with two exceptions:
- Stellantis owners (at 69%) were more likely to report using their personal automobile or ride-hailing service for short trips of one-half to one mile than the general population (50%).
- Toyota owners, at 36%, were most likely to report spending one hour or more per day inside their vehicles.
Automobile Usage and Overall Physical Activity
Interestingly, our survey results indicate that automobile ownership or the duration spent in automobiles did not demonstrate a negative association with overall physical activity levels. However, respondents using automobiles for short trips were less likely to achieve the recommended amount of physical activity.
- Of the respondents who spend an hour or more in their vehicles each day, 35% reported getting the recommended two-and-a-half hours or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week as compared to 28% for the general population.
- Those who use their automobiles for short trips (i.e. one-half mile to one mile) were less likely (23%) to get the recommended two and a half hours per week. This association could in part be due to people with mobility limitations requiring automobile use for short trips.
Sleeping
Survey respondents were asked about the total number of hours they sleep in a typical night.
Bicycle Usage and Sleep
Frequent bike users (27%) were less likely to report getting six or fewer hours of sleep per night than infrequent bike users (38%) and the general population (37%), which is unsurprising as higher rates of physical activity have been shown to correlate with better sleep.
Automobile Usage and Sleep
We found that individuals who spend longer durations in their cars were more likely to report insufficient sleep compared to those with shorter driving periods. Also, those using their personal automobiles for short trips tended to report lower sleep durations than those who did not utilize their cars for such outings.
Social Connection
Both bicycles and automobiles, as means of transportation that can get people out of their homes and into public spaces or be used to visit friends and family, can play important roles in fostering social connection. In the survey, we worked with members of the Foundation for Social Connection’s Scientific Advisory Council to ask respondents a series of questions that could illuminate their social habits, their sense of connection, and their attitudes about how their bicycles and their vehicles have facilitated (or hindered) important elements of social connection.
Bicycle Usage and Social Interactions
We looked at the impact of bicycles, as a means of transport, offering their users opportunities to get out of their homes and see people — whether meeting up with friends or having casual social interactions.
We found that frequent bicycle users reported a higher frequency of in-person social visits and demonstrated higher scores than both the general population and infrequent users for each social interaction question.
Participants were asked how using their bicycles had influenced their relationships and social interactions in 13 different ways, including, for example, “Meet new people,” “Give emotional support to others,” and “Feel less excluded.”⁷
On average, frequent bike users reported a slightly positive influence of their vehicle, with an average score of 0.76 out of +3 to -3 across 13 questions. They scored highest on aspects such as meeting desired socializing levels and creating less conflict in interactions, but lower on receiving emotional support and interacting with diverse individuals.
Only 22% of bike owners ranked “visiting friends or other social activities” as one of the top two (of five) most common uses of their bicycles.
We also looked at this question based on all owners of bicycle brands and asked about how using their bicycle influences their relationships and social interactions.
Automobile Usage and Social Interactions
We sought to explore the social role of automobiles, particularly during solitary commutes and transportation to social events. Analyzing loneliness levels, social connectivity indicators, and perceptions of cars’ social functions, the data, categorized by the manufacturer, reveals that respondents primarily rely on their vehicles to maintain relationships and engage with acquaintances.
We asked automobile owners the same questions as bicycle owners about how using their vehicles had influenced their relationships and social interactions.
Automobile Usage and Loneliness
In our research, we found a slight association between commute time and loneliness.
- Fifty (50) percent of respondents who commute 30 minutes or more per day reported feeling lonely, compared to 45% of respondents who have a shorter commute.
- 55% of automobile owners reported always commuting alone, versus only 16% who reported always commuting with at least one other person.
Spending Time Outdoors
Spending time outdoors confers multiple health benefits, so we looked into the relationships between bicycle and automobile ownership and usage and the amount of time people spend outdoors on a typical summer day.
Bicycle Usage and Getting Outside
A higher percentage (79%) of frequent bike users report spending one or more hours outdoors per day compared to infrequent bike users (52%) and the general population (55%).
We also looked at how time outdoors varied by bicycle manufacturer and the frequency of bicycle use.
Automobile Usage and Getting Outside
Our study yielded several notable findings regarding the relationship between automobile usage and outdoor activities, including that a significant proportion of automobile owners utilize their vehicles for outdoor pursuits on a weekly basis. Additionally, individuals who opt for short trips via personal automobiles, between one-half mile to one mile, tend to spend less time outdoors compared to their counterparts.
- 39% of automobile owners use their vehicles to drive to outdoor activities at least weekly, while 24% do so less than weekly but at least monthly and 37% do so less than once per month.
- People who use their personal automobiles for short trips (one-half mile to one mile) reported spending less time outdoors: forty-seven (47) percent spent one or more outdoor hours per day, compared to 59% of those who do not use automobiles for short trips.
- People who spend more time in their vehicles also spend more time outdoors: 68% of respondents who spend one or more hours per day in their vehicle reported spending one or more hours outdoors per day, compared to 52% of people who spend less time in their cars.
- 69% of people who commute at least 30 minutes per day reported spending one or more hours per day outdoors, compared to 52% who do not commute as long.
Time spent outdoors also varied by type of automobile ownership and vehicle manufacturer. These findings highlight the complex relationship between transportation choices and outdoor activities, revealing patterns that could affect individuals’ lifestyle habits.
- Our study revealed that truck owners spend the highest amount of time outdoors.
- The mix of vehicles sold by different manufacturers seemingly plays into the amount of outdoor time by their owners: Ford sells more trucks than any other type of vehicle and 60% of its owners reported percentages of one or more hours outdoors per day; whereas owners of vehicles from Honda, which sells a lower percentage of trucks, were less likely (47%) to report spending an hour or more outdoors each day.
Discussion
Healthy lifestyle habits and indicators are not simply influenced by owning certain types of cars or bikes; they are shaped by how much we use them and why.
The frequent utilization of cars is possibly influenced by the structure of contemporary society, exerting significant impacts on individuals. Prolonged periods spent alone in vehicles could exacerbate feelings of loneliness or foster a more sedentary lifestyle. Manufacturers seem to be racing to complete the most comfortable, autonomous (easy to drive) vehicles, which has been shown to lead to significantly more time spent in the car and on the roads.
While owning a bicycle holds potential benefits, its efficacy is contingent upon active usage, and individuals who possess electric bikes demonstrate a higher frequency of usage and consequently engage in more physical exercise, as well as more social interactions.
It is crucial to clarify that this survey does not establish causation. There may be additional factors at play influencing the reported levels of loneliness, sleep deprivation, and other health outcomes among automobile owners of specific vehicle manufacturers.
The complexity of these behaviors is underscored by various factors, including the physical design of cities and towns, as well as work hours and commute distances. In many instances, feasible alternatives that promote healthier lifestyles may be lacking compared to the convenience of driving alone over long distances or extended periods. Effective public transportation, safe and well-marked bike lanes, affordable bicycles, and ample bike parking options are integral components to support healthier choices and healthier populations. Additionally, considerations such as work schedules, commute hours, and distances further complicate the pursuit of healthier lifestyle behaviors.
Prioritizing health and well-being opens doors for positive impact across all sectors. While improving the built environment to support healthier transportation options is important, stakeholders in the transportation industry could focus more on exploring innovative ways to enhance mobility strategies that encourage healthier behaviors for Americans.
Acknowledgments
Carla Perisinotto, Matthew Smith, and Abigail Barth from the Foundation for Social Connection; Ben Leff, Amelia Goranson, and Jake Rothschild from Verasight; Sara Singer from Stanford University and Building H’s Vanessa Rogers and Steve Downs all contributed to the development of the survey and/or the analysis of results.
Additional Reports:
Additional reports in this series include:
Notes
¹ Defined as bicycle owners who report using their bike two or more times per week (including those who ride daily or multiple times per day).
² Bicycle owners who report riding their bicycles once per week or less often.
³ Alberto Castro, et al. Physical activity of electric bicycle users compared to conventional bicycle users and non-cyclists: Insights based on health and transport data from an online survey in seven European cities. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, Volume 9 (March 2021).
⁴ Junxiu Liu, et al. Quality of Meals Consumed by US Adults at Full-Service and Fast-Food Restaurants, 2003–2016: Persistent Low Quality and Widening Disparities. The Journal of Nutrition. Volume 150, Issue 4 (April 2020), pp. 873–883.
⁵ Defined as bicycle owners who report using their bike two or more times per week (including those who ride daily or multiple times per day).
⁶ Bicycle owners who report riding their bicycles once per week or less often.
⁷ Using an adaptation of the Retrospective Assessment for Connection Impact (RACI) scale developed by Matthew Smith.
