The Outdoor Industry Association in the US recently published its 2016 report with estimates of outdoor recreation participation in the US in 2015.
The release is reported at cycle-helmets.com, which previously displayed OIA estimates to 2012 that showed the 6-17yo proportion cycling on roads and paved surfaces was 45.2% in 2006 (17,401,000 / 38,457,000) and 31.6% in 2012 (12,397,000 / 39,232,000).
Youth Participation in Outdoor Activities, Ages 6 to 17
| 2006 | Pop % | 2007 | Pop % | 2008 | Pop % | 2009 | Pop % | 2010 | Pop % | |
| Bicycling (Road/Paved Surface) | 17,401,000 | 34.7% | 14,336,000 | 28.5% | 13,325,000 | 26.8% | 13,652,000 | 27.3% | 12,442,000 | 24.7% |
| 2011 | Pop % | 2012 | Pop % | 2013 | Pop % | 2014 | Pop % | 2015 | Pop % | |
| Bicycling (Road/Paved Surface) | 12,330,000 | 24.3% | 12,397,000 | 24.5% | 12,363,000 | 24.4% | 11,610,000 | 22.7% | 10,696,000 | 20.8% |
Participation in Outdoor Activities, All Americans Ages 6+
| 2006 | Pop % | 2007 | Pop % | 2008 | Pop % | 2009 | Pop % | 2010 | Pop % | |
| Bicycling (Road/Paved Surface) | 38,457,000 | 14.0% | 38,940,000 | 14.1% | 38,114,000 | 13.6% | 40,140,000 | 14.3% | 39,320,000 | 13.9% |
| 2011 | Pop % | 2012 | Pop % | 2013 | Pop % | 2014 | Pop % | 2015 | Pop % | |
| Bicycling (Road/Paved Surface) | 40,348,000 | 14.1% | 39,232,000 | 13.7% | 40,888,000 | 14.1% | 39,725,000 | 13.6% | 38,280,000 | 13.0% |
These new figures show the 6-17yo proportion of all cyclists was 45.2% in 2006 (17,401,000 / 38,457,000) and 27.9% in 2015 (10,696,000 / 38,280,000), i.e. down from 31.6% in 2012.
In other words, the number of 6-17yo Americans cycling on roads and paved surfaces fell by 6,705,000 or 38.5% over the 10 years.
The 6+ participation was down by 177,000 from 2006 to 2015 which, because of population growth, represents a 1.0% drop in population percentage, i.e. adult road cycling in the US has increased by a bit over 6.5 million over the past decade and all the reduction has been among 6-17yo who are subject to mandatory helmet laws in half the American states (in all states if parental, school and local government coercion is taken into account). Overall, 6+ road cycling participation in 2015 was 2,068,000 fewer than in 2011.
It is bizarre that participation data such as this receives no publicity while Americans puzzle over why their kids are the fattest on earth.
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