Is a change in mode of travel to school associated with a change in overall physical activity levels in children? Longitudinal results from the SPEEDY study

Lee Smith,David Ogilvie,Shannon Sahlqvist,Andy Jones,Simon J Griffin,Esther Van Sluijs,Kirsten Corder

doi:10.1186/1479-5868-9-134

Abstract

BackgroundChildren who use active modes of travel (walking or cycling) to school are more physically active than those who use passive (motorised) modes. However, less is known on whether a change in mode of travel to school is associated with a change in children’s physical activity levels. The purpose of this analysis was to investigate the association between change in mode of travel to school and change in overall physical activity levels in children.MethodsData from 812 9–10 year old British children (59% girls) who participated in the SPEEDY study were analysed. During the summer terms of 2007 and 2008 participants completed a questionnaire and wore an accelerometer for at least three days. Two-level multiple linear regression models were used to explore the association between change in usual mode of travel to school and change in objectively measured time spent in MVPA.ResultsCompared to children whose reported mode of travel did not change, a change from a passive to an active mode of travel was associated with an increase in daily minutes spent in MVPA (boys: beta 11.59, 95% CI 0.94 to 22.24; girls: beta 11.92, 95% CI 5.00 to 18.84). This increase represented 12% of boys’ and 13% of girls’ total daily time spent in MVPA at follow-up.ConclusionThis analysis provides further evidence that promoting active travel to school may have a role in contributing to increasing physical activity levels in children.

Highlights

Children who use active modes of travel to school are more physically active than those who use passive modes
Using crosssectional data from the Sport Physical Activity and Eating Behaviour: Environmental Determinants in Young People (SPEEDY) study, Panter et al found that girls and boys who walked to school spent an additional 6.9 min/ day and 3.3 min/day, respectively, in overall moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) compared to those who used passive modes of transport
There were no significant differences between the characteristics of pupils who participated at baseline only (n=1244) and those included in the final adjusted models (n=772). 59% of pupils included in analyses were girls and 97% were white

Summary

Introduction

Children who use active modes of travel (walking or cycling) to school are more physically active than those who use passive (motorised) modes. Cross-sectional studies identified in systematic reviews suggest that young people who walk or cycle to school can accumulate between 5 and 37 additional minutes per day (min/day) of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) compared to those who use motorised (passive) modes of transport [5,6]. Using crosssectional data from the Sport Physical Activity and Eating Behaviour: Environmental Determinants in Young People (SPEEDY) study, Panter et al found that girls and boys who walked to school spent an additional 6.9 min/ day and 3.3 min/day, respectively, in overall MVPA compared to those who used passive modes of transport. Girls and boys who cycled to school spent an additional 3.7 min/day and 6.5 min/day, respectively, in overall MVPA [9]

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