Socio-Demographic Correlates of Cycling to School among 12- to 15-Year Olds in Southern Germany

Associations between school-level environment and individual-level factors of walking and cycling to school in Canadian youth

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.

Gender-specific social and environmental correlates of active travel to school in four European countries: the HBSC Study

Introduction

Despite the health benefits, a large proportion of girls and boys in Europe do not travel to school actively. A better understanding of the correlates associated with this behavior could guide interventions. This study examines perceived social and environmental correlates of active travel to school (ACTS) from the 2017/18 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) survey in four European countries, with a special emphasis on gender differences (n = 22,023).

Methods

Logistic regression was conducted to analyze associations between the perceived importance of each correlate and ACTS behavior for 11-, 13-, and 15-year-old girls and boys from Germany, Czechia, Poland, and Slovakia. All models were adjusted for age, family affluence, and meeting World Health Organization recommendations for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

Results

Rates of ACTS significantly differed between girls and boys. In Czechia, 65% of girls and boys traveled to school actively, followed by Slovakia (61.4% girls and 58.4% boys), Poland (57.7% girls and 60.2% boys), and Germany (42.6% girls and 48.6% boys). Girls were less likely to actively travel to school compared to boys (odds ratio [OR]: 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.87-0.97). Increasing age (OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.93-0.97) and a greater distance to school index (OR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.88-0.90) were both negatively associated with ACTS. The perceived importance of living closer to school and of road and neighborhood safety was positively associated with ACTS, with a stronger association in boys than in girls for neighborhood safety. On the contrary, the perceived importance of having people to walk with was negatively associated with ACTS, with a stronger association in girls (OR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.65-0.84) than in boys (OR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.66-0.88).

Discussion

This study provides insights into perceived social and environmental correlates associated with ACTS behavior. Future research should include gender-specific perceptions and more in-depth investigations of correlates encouraging ACTS, especially considering social aspects, safety issues, and the structuring of the environment in different cultural settings.

Motivation and Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction in Active Travel to Different Destinations: A Cluster Analysis with Adolescents Living in Germany

Active travel in adolescence contributes to improved health outcomes. Self-Determination Theory suggests that motivation and basic psychological needs influence travel behavior. Person-centered approaches can examine interrelationships of these constructs underlying travel behavior. The aim of this study was to investigate (i) which clusters can be identified in adolescents, (ii) whether clusters explain overall active travel behavior, (iii) whether clusters were associated with travel mode to various destinations or distance, and (iv) whether differences across clusters appear regarding sex/gender, age, and weight status. The sample included 517 (263 male, 254 female) adolescents from Germany, aged 11-15. Self-organizing maps analysis identified six clusters from nine input variables: intrinsic motivation, integrated regulation, identified regulation, introjected regulation, external regulation, amotivation, autonomy satisfaction, competence satisfaction, and relatedness satisfaction. The most beneficial cluster regarding active travel demonstrated highest basic psychological needs satisfaction and autonomous motivation with low controlled motivation and amotivation. The most vulnerable cluster was characterized by generally low levels of motivation except for external regulation and amotivation. Clusters were not associated with distance to school, friends/relatives, shopping facilities, or leisure facilities. The findings support the importance of high quality and high quantity of motivation for active travel in adolescents.

Associations of parents' and adolescents' active travel behavior across various destinations - a sex/gender analysis

BACKGROUND

Active travel behavior such as walking and cycling is associated with several health benefits. Especially the family environment seems to be important for active travel in children and adolescents. Currently, little is known regarding travel behavior in leisure time and associations of travel behavior within parent-adolescent dyads.

METHODS

The present analysis is based on the German ARRIVE study (Active tRavel behavioR in the famIly enVironmEnt), which incorporated a large scale, representative cross-sectional online survey including 517 parent-child dyads consisting of adolescents (N = 517; boys = 263, girls = 254) aged 11-15 years and one of their parents (N = 517; fathers = 259, mothers = 258). Based on that survey which took place in June 2021 (during the COVID-19 pandemic), we calculated the prevalence of active travel to four commonly visited destinations (school/work, friends/relatives, shopping stores and recreational activities) using an adapted version of the travel to school questionnaire by Segura-Diaz JM, Rojas-Jimenez A, Barranco-Ruiz Y, Murillo-Pardo B, Saucedo-Araujo RG, Aranda-Balboa MJ, et al. (Int J Environ Res Public Health 17(14), 2020). In addition, we investigated the associations between parents' and adolescents' travel behavior using scores for school/work, leisure time (friends/relatives, shopping stores and recreational activities) and overall (school/work and leisure time).

RESULTS

Across all destinations, prevalence of active travel in adolescents (63.08%) was higher than in parents (29.21%). Active travel to school (47.33%) as well as to work (20.43%) indicated the lowest prevalence. Linear regression models revealed significant associations in overall active travel between mothers and adolescents (girls: β = 0.308, p < 0.001; boys: β = 0.302, p = 0.001) and in leisure time active travel behavior between mothers and daughters (β = 0.316, p < 0.001). Related to school/work active travel there were no associations between parents and adolescents.

CONCLUSION

The associations between adolescents' and parents' travel behavior differ depending on gender: they are solely seen in mother-adolescents dyads. Furthermore, our findings conclude that travel is a routine and independent of the destination.

Active travel behaviour in the family environment: protocol for the mixed-methods cross-sectional ARRIVE study

INTRODUCTION

Active travel is an important source of physical activity and a primary contributor to overall health among adolescents. To understand and promote active travel behaviour in adolescents, developing a more robust understanding of the predictors of active travel and its associated decision-making processes is needed. Situated within a theoretical socioecological framework for adolescent travel behaviour, the mixed-methods Active tRavel behavioR in the famIly enVironmEnt study aims to quantitatively assess the influence of several predictors of adolescent travel behaviour, and to qualitatively understand the associated decision-making processes of both adolescents and parents.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Our mixed-methods approach will feature online surveys and semistructured interviews. The online questionnaire, developed in accordance with a theoretical framework of adolescent active travel, will examine adolescent travel behaviour with respect to four different destinations while controlling for multiple relevant individual, social and physical environment factors. To enable the comparison of adolescent and parental perspectives, the questionnaire will be answered by a representative sample of German adolescents (11-15 years old) and their parents.Our semistructured interviews, likewise framed based on the central tenets of the theoretical framework of adolescent active travel, will seek to explore the decision-making process of families regarding travel mode choice via conducting interviews with each member (ie, father, mother, adolescent). To investigate travel decision-making processes, adolescents and their parents will be invited to talk about trips they undertook using both active and passive transport modes during the last week. Thematic analyses will be conducted to highlight the central concerns, priorities and values of participants' decision-making processes.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study has received ethical approval from the ethics commission of the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg. Study results will be disseminated at scientific conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. Additionally, study findings will be made publicly available to relevant health, policy, and research stakeholders and groups.

Study Protocol of a School-Based Randomized Controlled Trial to Promote Cycling to School Among Students in Germany Using Intervention Mapping: The ACTS Project

Background: Despite a high rate of bicycle ownership, the prevalence of cycling to school among children and adolescents in Germany has been constantly low. Cycling to school can contribute to meeting the physical activity recommendations, which the majority of children and adolescents in Germany do not meet.

Methods: By using intervention mapping, this study protocol describes the systematic planning process of a school-based intervention in Germany aimed to increase the number of days on which students cycle to school and to increase their physical activity levels. To make sure that the intervention will match the needs of students, we conducted a concept mapping study investigating what students need to cycle to school, as perceived by students, parents, and teachers. The logic model of change was based on an integration of the self–determination theory and the social–ecological model. We structured our intervention as two phases, a preparatory phase with weekly components for and a practical phase with a daily repeated component of the targeted behavior. In the 8-week preparatory phase, teachers, parents, and peers will be involved. The content of the 12-week practical phase will involve peers only and was considered promising based on the findings from a systematic review that we conducted to identify the effective strategies of school-based interventions to promote cycling to school among children and adolescents. Overall, our intervention includes 27 behavior change techniques. A researcher, student assistants, teachers, and other collaborators will implement the intervention; a whole-of-school approach with components performed before, during, and after school was chosen. As a study design, we decided to draft a two-arm three-level cluster randomized controlled trial. Both the effect and process evaluation were prepared. In the first instance, approximately 250 students of 12–15 years of age from grade 7 or 8, who attend a secondary school of intermediate or high educational level located in (sub)urban regions in Southern Germany, will pilot the intervention.

Discussion: We expect to provide an effective and sustainable intervention for students, which gives insights into the mechanisms of change concerning the behavior of cycling to school and its influence on physical activity levels.