Commuter cycling: effect on physical performance in untrained men and women in Flanders: minimum dose to improve indexes of fitness

The purpose was to examine (1) the effect of cycling to work on physical performance; (2) the minimum weekly energy expenditure needed for fitness improvement based on the dose-response relationship between total caloric expenditure and fitness changes. Healthy, untrained men and women, who did not cycle to work, participated in a 1-year intervention study. Sixty-five subjects were asked to cycle to work at least three times a week. Fifteen subjects were asked not to change their living habits. All measurements were performed on three consecutive occasions, with 6 months in between. Maximal external power (P-max), heart rate, respiratory exchange ratio and peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) were assessed. Cycling characteristics and leisure time physical activities were reported in a dairy. A significant change over time between both groups was seen for VO2peak (/kg) in the total group and the women and for P-max in the total group. Correlations were found between VO2peak (/kg) (r >= 0.40) and kcal/week and min/week. Preliminary results indicate that the minimum expended energy needed for the improvement of indexes of fitness is higher for men compared with women.