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Almost two thirds of U.S. women are overweight or obese. Although brisk walking helps to control weight, less is known about the outcomes of bicycling. In a 16-year follow-up of 18,414 healthy premenopausal women in the Nurses Health Study II (NHS II), researchers assessed weight gain in women who regularly bicycled or walked slowly (≤2.9 miles per hour) or briskly (≥3 mph).
Between 1989 and 2005, participants overall gained a mean of 9.3 kg, and their total discretionary activity fell by a mean of 8.6 minutes daily. Women who were normal weight at baseline gained less (mean, 7.9 kg) than did overweight or obese women (12.6 kg). Bicycling and brisk walking, but not slow walking, were associated with attenuated weight gain; women who were ove…