Why Do Students Walk or Cycle for Transportation? Perceived Study Environment and Psychological Determinants as Predictors of Active Transportation by University Students.

Monika Teuber,Gorden Sudeck

doi:10.3390/ijerph18041390

Abstract

University students are particularly at risk to suffer from physical and psychological complaints and for not fulfilling health-oriented physical activity (PA) recommendations. Since PA is linked with various benefits for health and educational outcomes, the group of students is of particular interest for PA promotion. Although active commuting has been identified as a relevant domain of PA in order to gain the various benefits of PA, little knowledge is available with respect to university students. This study tested conditions in the study environment, as well as personal motivators and barriers, as determinants for the active transportation of university students. Using a cross-sectional convenience sample of a university in the southwest of Germany (n = 997), we applied factor analyses to bundle relevant information on environmental and psychological determinants (adapted NEWS-G; adapted transport-related items from an Australian university survey) and blockwise hierarchical regressions. The objective was to analyze associations between the bundled determinants and self-reports on PA for transport-related walking and cycling (measured by the EHIS-PAQ). Results revealed associations between transport-related cycling and the perceived study environment (e.g., high automobile traffic) as well as certain personal motivators and barriers (e.g., time effort or weather conditions). The study contributes to the knowledge about determinants that are important for the development and improvement of public health interventions for students in a university setting.

Highlights

Academic studies often impose high demands on university students, which can be associated with negative effects on health
The present study addresses the question of which conditions of the study environment as well as personal motivators and barriers are related to the active transportation behavior of university students
We considered the subsequent categories of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale for Germany (NEWS-G): (C) “Land use mix–access”, (D) “Street connectivity”, (E) “Walking/Cycling facilities”, (F) “Aesthetics”, (G) “Pedestrian/automobile traffic safety”, (H) “Crime safety”

Summary

Introduction

Academic studies often impose high demands on university students, which can be associated with negative effects on health. Students suffer more often from perceived stress [1] and from physical and psychological complaints than their peers [1,2,3,4]. Active transportation is associated with less obesity, less cardiovascular risk factors, and higher physical fitness for students [7,8]. Since the transition from school to university often marks a particular risk for becoming physically inactive [9], the group of students is of particular interest for PA promotion in order to gain health benefits. According to current guidelines for health-enhancing PA, about half of the students in the United States, Canada, and China, 40% in Australia, and

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion