For the first time researchers have measured how much physical activity is generated when riding an e-scooter, and the answer is a shock.
For all the appearance of action and movement as e-scooter riders whizz back and forth along the bike paths, very little physical activity is actually occurring.
If you are riding an e-scooter you are only getting about two thirds of the physical activity that you would get when walking.
And nothing like the health benefits you would be getting if riding a bike.
But at least you would be slightly better off than those sedentary car drivers, who expend about two-thirds of the physical activity of an e-scooter rider.
E-scooters have had something of a boom in recent years, and some have argued that could have substantial benefits for the community if they replaced car trips.
But according to this research, if they were replacing walking and bike riding trips, there would be a significant and negative health outcome for the community.
Researchers at the Universities of Tennessee and Southern Mississippi measured the metabolic physical activity and the muscle activity of a group of e-scooter riders around a fixed course. Drivers and walkers were also measured as a benchmark comparison.
They concluded that riding an e-scooter does provide some minor physical activity benefits to the riders, by reducing the amount of time spent in sedentary behaviour if sitting or reclining.
"However, if riding an e-scooter substitutes for active transportation modes that comprise the bulk of a person’s moderate-intensity activity, then negative health outcomes may emerge over time,” the paper, published in the Journal of Transport and Health, says.
"This is especially relevant for those who use e-scooters to replace walking or biking trips on a regular basis. Of note, e-bikes can be a better alternative than e-scooters from a standpoint of personal health as they generally still require moderate levels of physical activity.
"For policy goals to improve physical activity, efforts should be made to grow e-scooters as a substitute for driving or ride-hailing without replacing walking or biking. For example, the development of e-scooter sharing should not necessarily phase out bike sharing or e-bike sharing."
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