Association of Motorcycle Use with Risk of Overweight in Taiwanese Urban Adults

Sedentary transport is known to adversely affect health. Few studies have focused on motorcycle use. This study examines the association of motorcycle use with overweight in urban adults in Taiwan. Cross-sectional data from 1069 Taiwanese adults aged 20-64 years in three urban cities were collected in 2015. Data on self-reported body mass index, time spent in motorcycle use, lifestyle behavioral factors, and sociodemographic variables were obtained. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were applied. In Model 1, adults who spent more time using a motorcycle (third quartile, odds ratio (OR) = 1.17; fourth quartile, OR = 1.60) were more likely to be overweight compared with the first quartile. In Model 2, after adjusting for the covariates, only the fourth quartile of motorcycle use (OR = 1.50) was associated with a higher risk of overweight. Higher time spent in motorcycle use is related to higher risk of being overweight, even after adjustment for potential demographic and behavioral confounders. Intervention and behavioral change strategies targeting motorcycle use should be considered.