Impact of Distance on Mode of Active Commuting in Chilean Children and Adolescents
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Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Fernando; Cristi-Montero, Carlos; Celis-Morales, Carlos; Escobar-Gómez, Danica; Chillón Garzón, PalmaEditorial
MDPI
Materia
Active transport Youth Physical activity Adolescent
Date
2017-11-02Referencia bibliográfica
Rodríguez-Rodríguez, F.; et al. Impact of Distance on Mode of Active Commuting in Chilean Children and Adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(11): 1334 (2017). [http://hdl.handle.net/10481/48512]
Sponsorship
To the teachers and students of the participating schools, the CONICYT PAI-MEC programme (MEC 80150030), the Academic Incentive Programs from the Research Department of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaiso-Chile and funding from the University of Granada 2016 (Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health—UCEES).Abstract
Active commuting could contribute to increasing physical activity. The objective of this study was to characterise patterns of active commuting to and from schools in children and adolescents in Chile. A total of 453 Chilean children and adolescents aged between 10 and 18 years were included in this study. Data regarding modes of commuting and commuting distance was collected using a validated questionnaire. Commuting mode was classified as active commuting (walking and/or cycling) or non-active commuting (car, motorcycle and/or bus). Commuting distance expressed in kilometres was categorised into six subgroups (0 to 0.5, 0.6 to 1, 1.1 to 2, 2.1 to 3, 3.1 to 5 and >5 km). Car commuting was the main mode for children (to school 64.9%; from school 51.2%) and adolescents (to school 50.2%; from school 24.7%). Whereas public bus commuting was the main transport used by adolescents to return from school. Only 11.0% and 24.8% of children and adolescents, respectively, walk to school. The proportion of children and adolescents who engage in active commuting was lower in those covering longer distances compared to a short distance. Adolescents walked to and from school more frequently than children. These findings show that non-active commuting was the most common mode of transport and that journey distances may influence commuting modes in children and adolescents.