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Duffy RT, Larsen K, Bélanger M, Brussoni M, Faulkner G, Gunnell K, Tremblay MS, Larouche R. Children's Independent Mobility, School Travel, and the Surrounding Neighborhood. Am J Prev Med 2024; 66:819-831. [PMID: 38081375 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2023.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Children's active travel to and from school (AST) and children's independent mobility (CIM) are consistently positively associated with physical activity (PA); however, few researchers have investigated associations between objective measures of the environment and indicators of AST and CIM in national samples. METHODS A national sample of 2,067 Canadian parents of 7- to 12-year-old children was recruited in December 2020. Regression analyses were used in 2023 to assess the association between geographic information system measures of park density, blue space, population density, greenspace, intersection density, and CIM and AST to and from school. RESULTS Children in areas with high versus low park density (>0.025 vs. ≤0.025) had higher odds of travel to school via active modes (OR: 1.47 [1.14, 1.91], p=0.003). Children in neighborhoods in the highest quartile for neighborhood greenspace (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) were more likely to travel to home actively than those in areas of lower greenspace (OR: 1.70 [1.18, 2.45], p=0.004). On average, children living in areas in the highest versus the lowest quartile for intersection density were more likely to engage in AST to (OR: 2.43 [1.58, 3.75], p<0.001) and from (OR: 2.77 [1.80, 4.29], p<0.001) school. CONCLUSIONS The observed associations underscore a need for city planners and policymakers to ensure sufficient access to parks and neighborhood greenspace, especially if findings are confirmed in longitudinal studies. More research is needed to investigate the role of intersection density in supporting AST and CIM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert T Duffy
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kristian Larsen
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON, Canada; Health Canada, Office of Environmental Health, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Environmental and Radiation Health Science Directorate, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada; CAREX Canada, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Mathieu Bélanger
- Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Mariana Brussoni
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Human Early Learning Partnership, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Guy Faulkner
- School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Katie Gunnell
- Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Mark S Tremblay
- Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, CHEO Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Department of Health Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Richard Larouche
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge AB, Canada
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Lavergne V, Butler G, Prince SA, Contreras G. Associations between school-level environment and individual-level factors of walking and cycling to school in Canadian youth. Prev Med Rep 2023; 36:102489. [PMID: 38116258 PMCID: PMC10728322 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying individual-level and school-level correlates of walking and cycling to school remains a public health priority as only one in four Canadian youth actively travels to school. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Canadian youth in grades 6 to 10 who walk, cycle, or use motorised transport to go to school, and to examine if school neighbourhood walkability, neighbourhood-level and individual-level correlates are associated with mode of transportation to school. Data come from the 2017/2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. The walkability of the schools' neighbourhood was measured using the Canadian Active Living Environments (Can-ALE) index. We observed that only 22.4% and 4.2% of youth walked and cycled to school, respectively. Most (73.4%) used motorised transport to school, including 53.2% of youth who lived less than 5 minutes from school. Schools located in neighbourhoods with higher Can-ALE classes (i.e., higher walkability) were positively associated with walking to school. No statistically significant association between school walkability and cycling to school was observed. Individual-level socioeconomic status (SES) was associated with walking, but not cycling, to school. Conversely, neighbourhood-level SES was associated with cycling, but not with walking, to school. Correlates of walking to school differed from those for cycling to school, suggesting that different approaches to promoting active transportation are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valérie Lavergne
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Gregory Butler
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Stephanie A. Prince
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Gisèle Contreras
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Canada
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Malnes L, Berntsen S, Kolle E, Ivarsson A, Dyrstad SM, Resaland GK, Solberg R, Haugen T. School-based physical activity in relation to active travel - a cluster randomized controlled trial among adolescents enrolled in the school in motion study in Norway. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2023; 20:136. [PMID: 37990252 PMCID: PMC10664674 DOI: 10.1186/s12966-023-01534-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Active travel and school settings are considered ideal for promoting physical activity. However, previous research suggests limited effect of school-based interventions on overall physical activity levels among adolescents. The relationship between physical activity in different domains remains inconclusive. In this study, we examined the effects of adding two weekly hours of school-based physical activity on active travel rates. METHOD We analyzed data from 1370 pupils in the 9th-grade participating in the cluster RCT; the School In Motion (ScIM) project. Intervention schools (n = 19) implemented 120 min of class-scheduled physical activity and physical education, in addition to the normal 2 hours of weekly physical education in the control schools (n = 9), for 9 months. Active travel was defined as pupils who reported walking or cycling to school, while motorized travel was defined as pupils who commuted by bus or car, during the spring/summer half of the year (April-September), or autumn/winter (October-February). The participants were categorized based on their travel mode from pretest to posttest as; maintained active or motorized travel ("No change"), changing to active travel (motorized-active), or changing to motorized travel (active-motorized). Multilevel logistic regression was used to analyze the intervention effect on travel mode. RESULTS During the intervention period, most participants maintained their travel habits. In total, 91% of pupils maintained their travel mode to school. Only 6% of pupils switched to motorized travel and 3% switched to active travel, with small variations according to season and trip direction. The intervention did not seem to influence the likelihood of changing travel mode. The odds ratios for changing travel habits in spring/summer season were from active to motorized travel 1.19 [95%CI: 0.53-2.15] and changing from motorized to active travel 1.18 [0.30-2.62], compared to the "No change" group. These findings were consistent to and from school, and for the autumn/winter season. CONCLUSION The extra school-based physical activity does not seem to affect rates of active travel among adolescents in the ScIM project. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov ID nr: NCT03817047. Registered 01/25/2019' retrospectively registered'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Malnes
- Department of Sport Science and Physical Education, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway.
| | - Sveinung Berntsen
- Department of Sport Science and Physical Education, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Elin Kolle
- Department Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Andreas Ivarsson
- Department of Sport Science and Physical Education, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
- School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Sindre M Dyrstad
- Department of Education and Sport Science, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Geir K Resaland
- Faculty of Teacher Education and Sports, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogndal, Norway
| | - Runar Solberg
- Centre for Epidemic Interventions Research, Norwegian Institute for Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tommy Haugen
- Department of Sport Science and Physical Education, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
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