Citation

Chillón P, Martínez-Gómez D, Ortega FB, Pérez-López IJ, Díaz LE, Veses AM, Veiga OL, Marcos A, Delgado-Fernández M. Int. J. Behav. Med. 2013; 20(4): 529-537.

Affiliation

Department of Physical Education and Sport, School of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, University of Granada (Departamento de Educación Física y Deportiva, Facultad de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte, Universidad de Granada), Ctra Alfacar, s/n, 18001, Granada, Spain, pchillon@ugr.es.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, International Society of Behavioral Medicine, Publisher Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s12529-012-9267-9

PMID

23055026

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Promoting daily routine activities, such as active commuting to school, may have important health implications for young people. PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to examine the secular trend of active commuting to school in Spanish adolescents over a 6-year period (2001-2002 to 2006-2007). We also examined several factors that might explain this trend. METHODS: Data comes from two separate cross-sectional studies, both representatives from the city of Madrid (Spain): AVENA and AFINOS studies. These took place in 2001-2002 and 2006-2007 and included 415 (198 girls) and 891 (448 girls) adolescents aged 13-17, respectively. Commuting to school was assessed using a standardized question about their habitual mode of transportation to school: walking, cycling, bus/subway, car, or motorcycle. Chi-square and binary logistic regression were used. RESULTS: Percentage of active commuting girls decreased significantly from 61 % to 48 % (p = 0.002) from 2001-2002 to 2006-2007. Walking declined from 61 % to 46 % and the use of bus/subway increased from 25 % to 37 % in girls. Girls belonging to average/small families had lower odds of being active commuters than girls of large families (OR, 95 % CI: 0.69, 0.48 to 0.98). There were no significant differences in mode of commuting to school for boys (p = 0.269). CONCLUSION: Spanish adolescent girls in 2007-2008 had lower levels of active commuting to school, mainly walking, than their counterparts 6 years before. Belonging to a large family was related with higher active commuting in girls.

Language: en