Obesity &Amp; OverweightNCT07114991
E-Bike Commuting and Health in Overweight College Students
A study testing E-Bike Commuting in people with Obesity &Amp; Overweight and Sedentary Behaviors, run by University of Wisconsin, River Falls at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study will evaluate the effects of using a pedal-assist electric bicycle (e-bike) for commuting on physical activity, fitness, and health in overweight or obese college students. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a 8-week e-bike commuting intervention or a control group. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Obesity &Amp; Overweight, Sedentary Behaviors, Cardiometabolic Risk
- What is being tested?
- E-Bike Commuting
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Aug 2025to 31 Oct 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 30 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Aged 18-29 years
- Currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate student
- Body mass index (BMI) ≥25.0 kg/m² (classified as overweight or obese)
- Self-report of engaging in <150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
- Able and willing to safely ride a bicycle for commuting or transportation purposes
- Willing to be randomized and complete all study procedures across 16 weeks Able to provide informed consent
Who cannot join
- Current use of a bicycle or e-bike for commuting ≥2 times per week
- Known cardiovascular, metabolic, or orthopedic conditions that limit physical activity or make exercise testing unsafe
- Currently pregnant, planning pregnancy during the study period, or less than 6 months postpartum
- Use of medications known to affect glucose metabolism, heart rate, or physical activity (e.g., beta-blockers, insulin)
- Diagnosed severe mental health disorders that would impair study participation
- Participation in another clinical trial or lifestyle intervention within the past 3 months
- Inability or unwillingness to attend lab visits or comply with the intervention protocol
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
University of Wisconsin-River Falls
River Falls, Wisconsin, 54022
About this study
Official title: Effects of Pedal-Assist E-Bike Commuting on Cardiometabolic Health, Physical Activity, and Psychological Well-Being in Overweight College Students
This study will evaluate the effects of using a pedal-assist electric bicycle (e-bike) for commuting on physical activity, fitness, and health in overweight or obese college students. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a 8-week e-bike commuting intervention or a control group. The study will measure changes in cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, blood biomarkers, physical activity, and psychological well-being over a 16-week period.
Read the detailed description
This randomized controlled trial investigates the effectiveness of e-bike commuting as a strategy to improve cardiometabolic health, physical activity levels, and psychological well-being in college students with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m² or higher. Eligible participants will be randomized to either a 8-week e-bike intervention group or a control group that continues usual commuting habits. Assessments will occur at baseline (Week 0), post-intervention (Week 8), and follow-up (Week 16). Each assessment will include VO₂peak testing using a graded cycle ergometer protocol, body composition assessment via BodPod, fasting fingerstick blood tests for glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides, blood pressure and resting heart rate measurement, and self-report questionnaires evaluating motivation, stress, affect, mental health, and academic engagement. Participants will also complete a 30-minute submaximal cycling test during which affective responses will be recorded, and physical activity will be tracked over 7 days. Those assigned to the intervention group will receive a pedal-assist e-bike, helmet, and safety training and will be asked to ride at least four days per week for 8 weeks. The study aims to determine whether e-bike commuting can promote sustained physical activity and improve cardiometabolic and mental health outcomes in a population at risk for early health decline.
- Being tested
- E-Bike Commuting
- Keywords
- Electric bicycle, Active commuting, Exercise motivation, Health behavior, Physical activity, Overweight
- Medical subject headings
- Obesity, Overweight, Sedentary Behavior, Health Behavior, Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
E-Bike CommutingBehavioural
Participants in the intervention group will receive a pedal-assist electric bicycle (e-bike), a helmet, safety training, and a cycling computer. They will be asked to use the e-bike for commuting or personal travel at least four times per week for 12 weeks. E-bike usage will be monitored using a Garmin Edge device. Participants will also complete baseline, 12-week, and 24-week assessments including fitness testing, blood tests, body composition, surveys, and wearable activity monitoring.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental Group | Experimental | Participants in this group will receive a pedal-assist electric bicycle (e-bike), helmet, safety training, and cycling computer. They will be instructed to use the e-bike for commuting or transportation at least four days per week for 8 weeks. They will also complete assessments at baseline, Week 8, and Week 16, including fitness testing, body composition, blood testing, surveys, and activity monitoring. Receives: Behavioral: E-Bike Commuting |
| Control Group | No intervention | Participants in the control group will maintain their usual commuting and physical activity habits for the 8-week intervention period. They will complete the same assessments as the intervention group at baseline, Week 8, and Week 16. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (minutes/day)
Physical activity will be measured using a hip-worn ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer over 7 consecutive days at baseline, Week 8, and Week 16. The device will be analyzed using validated cut points to determine average daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). The primary outcome is the change in MVPA from baseline to Week 16.
Measured: From enrollment to end of study at 16 weeks.
Change in cardiorespiratory fitness (VO₂peak, mL/kg/min)
Cardiorespiratory fitness will be measured via a graded cycling test using a metabolic cart to determine peak oxygen uptake (VO₂peak). Participants will complete the test at baseline (Week 0), post-intervention (Week 8), and follow-up (Week 16). The primary comparison will be the change in VO₂peak from baseline to Week 8 between the intervention and control groups.
Measured: From enrollment to end of study at 16 weeks.
Secondary outcomes (4)
Change in body fat percentage
Body composition will be assessed using air displacement plethysmography (BodPod®). Percent body fat will be calculated at baseline, Week 8, and Week 16.
Measured: From enrollment to end of study at 16 weeks.
Change in total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, and triglycerides (mg/dL)
Fasting lipid profiles will be assessed at baseline, Week 8, and Week 16 via fingerstick blood sample. Changes in total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides will be evaluated to assess cardiometabolic risk.
Measured: From enrollment to end of study at 16 weeks.
Change in fasting blood glucose (mg/dL)
Fasting blood glucose will be collected via fingerstick and analyzed using a portable blood analyzer. Values will be compared between baseline, Week 8, and Week 16 to determine the impact of the e-bike intervention on glucose regulation.
Measured: From enrollment to end of study at 16 weeks.
Change in exercise motivation (BREQ-3 score)
Exercise motivation will be assessed using the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-3 (BREQ-3) at all three time points. Subscale scores (e.g., intrinsic motivation, external regulation) will be analyzed for changes between baseline, Week 8, and Week 16.
Measured: From enrollment to end of study at 16 weeks.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted11 Aug 2025
- Study start1 Aug 2025
- Primary completion31 Oct 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Oct 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (4)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Obesity &Amp; OverweightStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Wisconsin, River Falls
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Gregory Ruegsegger, University of Wisconsin, River Falls
- Investigators
- Gregory Ruegsegger, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Wisconsin, River Falls
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07114991
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2025-101
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 4 Aug 2025
- Last updated
- 21 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: De-identified individual participant data (IPD) collected in this study-including demographic information, outcome measures (e.g., physical activity, VO₂peak, body composition, survey scores), and visit-level data-will be made available to qualified researchers upon reasonable request. Data will be shared in a manner that protects participant confidentiality and complies with IRB and institutional policies.
Publications
Peterman JE, Morris KL, Kram R, Byrnes WC. Pedelecs as a physically active transportation mode. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2016 Aug;116(8):1565-73. doi: 10.1007/s00421-016-3408-9. Epub 2016 Jun 14.
PubMed 27299435Berntsen S, Malnes L, Langaker A, Bere E. Physical activity when riding an electric assisted bicycle. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017 Apr 26;14(1):55. doi: 10.1186/s12966-017-0513-z.
PubMed 28446180Johnson L, O'Hara BJ, Phongsavan P, et al. Exploring the feasibility of a 6-week electric-bike intervention with behavioural support in Australia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021;18(16):8684
Bourne JE, Sauchelli S, Perry R, Page A, Leary S, England C, Cooper AR. Health benefits of electrically-assisted cycling: a systematic review. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2018 Nov 21;15(1):116. doi: 10.1186/s12966-018-0751-8.
PubMed 30463581