Abstract
Active commuting to and from school (ACS) has been recognized as a potential tool to improve physical fitness. Thus, this study aims to test the relationships between the average slope in the ACS and physical fitness, as well as to verify the mediator role of fatness in the relationship between average slope and physical fitness. A total of 257 participants, 137 boys and 120 girls, from 22 schools belonged to first and second High School grades participated in this study. Based on self-reported measure and Google Earth, participants were grouped into the active commuter (number of trips was ≥5, and the time of the trip was ≥15 min), mixed commuter (number of weekly trips was <5, and the time spent on the trip was <15 min) and passive commuter groups (those who reported traveling regularly by car, motorcycle, or bus). Specifically, in the active commuter group, a positive association between the average slope in the ACS with fatness was found, which in turn was positively related to strength lower limbs and cardiorrespiratory fitness. The average slope was not significantly associated with physical fitness indicators. Furtheremore, fatness did not mediate the relathionship between average slope and physical fitness. This research concluded positive associations between average slope and the body fat in the ACS. The tendency of findings signal that the average slope should be taken into account along with the distance, time and frequency of the active commuting.
Highlights
Active commuting to and from school (ACS) can be defined as the mode of commuting by which children or adolescents cover the distance between home and school, using a way that does not involve motorized vehicles, such as walking or cycling (Chillón et al, 2011; Larouche et al, 2014)
Boys showed lower levels of tricipital fold and body fat, as well as higher scores in cardiorrespiratory fitness when comparing with girls
The hypothesized path model showed an excellent fit to the data: MLR χ2 = 88.316; df = 6; p < 001; comparative fit index (CFI) = 1.000; Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = 1.000; Root Mean Square Error Of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.000; SRMR = 0.000
Summary
Active commuting to and from school (ACS) can be defined as the mode of commuting by which children or adolescents cover the distance between home and school, using a way that does not involve motorized vehicles, such as walking or cycling (Chillón et al, 2011; Larouche et al, 2014). Andersen et al (2011) tested the benefits of this increase in adolescents, reporting lower levels of body fat and a lower probability of heart disease In this regard, Ramírez-Vélez et al (2017) showed that ACS was associated with greater physical fitness. Trying to find possible related factors, the systematic review conducted by Ikeda et al (2018) found positive associations between ACS and perceptions of safety, walkability and neighborhood social interaction, but any relationship in the average slope in the ACS at school was found In this regard, it has been shown that sections with an average slope are characterized by producing internal mechanical work, involving greater muscular activity and increasing the linear energy demand (Ehrström et al, 2017; Vernillo et al, 2016)
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