Association of Active Commuting with Sport Time and Outdoor Play Time in Chinese Schoolchildren

Abstract

PURPOSE: Active commuting has been proved to be related to higher levels of physical activity in children in Western countries. Whether this relationship exists for specific forms of physical activity, e.g., sport participation and outdoor play, remains unclear, especially among Chinese children. This study aimed to investigate the association of active commuting with sport time and outdoor play time in Chinese schoolchildren. METHODS: A total of 441 children (49.7% boys, mean age = 8.3 ± 0.9 years) in grades 1 to 3 from four primary schools in Beijing participated in this study. Information of children's walking trips, daily sport time, and daily outdoor play time was reported by parents using the modified Chinese version of the children's leisure activities study survey. Children were categorized as either active (≥ 6 walking trips per week) or passive commuters (< 6 walking trips per week) based on the parent-reported number of trips walking to and from school. Children reported their own sex, age, and exercise self-efficacy. Children's body weight and height were measured by researchers to calculate body mass index (BMI). Differences of daily sport time and outdoor play time between active vs. passive commuters were examined by the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) adjusting for children's age, BMI, and exercise self-efficacy. ANCOVA were conducted separately for boys and girls. RESULTS: 42.7% of boys and 40.3% of girls were classified as active commuters. In boys, no difference was found for daily sport time between active and passive commuters (62.0 ± 46.7 min/d vs. 55.4 ± 41.4 min/d, P = 0.266), whereas active commuters had more time of outdoor play than passive commuters (194.8 ± 122.4 min/d vs. 153.7 ± 122.3 min/d, P = 0.041). For girls, neither daily sport time (64.1 ± 37.7 min/d vs. 54.1 ± 43.9 min/d, P = 0.110) nor daily outdoor play time (146.3 ± 129.6 min/d vs. 178.5 ± 141.4 min/d, P = 0.156) differed between active and passive commuters. CONCLUSIONS: Boys who actively commute to school have higher levels of outdoor play time. Promoting active commuting may increase levels of physical activity in Chinese schoolchildren.