The patterns of active commuting to school change along the school-life in spanish youth

Abstract

This study describes rates of active commuting to school (ACS) among Spanish school students and examines differences in ACS between different and consecutive educational levels, educational stages and school grades, within the Spanish educational system. Data were obtained from 28 cross-sectional studies conducted across Spain in 2010-2017. The analytical sample comprised 42,074 participants; namely, 5,327 children aged 3-5.99 years old (48% girls), 18,329 children aged 6-11.99 years old (50% girls) and 18,438 adolescents aged 12-18 years old (49% girls). Compared to pre-primary education, those in primary education (Odss ratio (OR)= 1.29, p < 0.01), compulsory secondary education (OR= 1.36, p < 0.01) and upper secondary education (OR= 1.38, p < 0.01) had higher odds of ACS. Additionally, compared to primary education, those in compulsory secondary education had higher odds of ACS (OR= 1.05, p < 0.01). Adolescents attending 1° grade of compulsory secondary education had higher odds of ACS than their counterparts attending to 6° grade of primary education (OR= 1.16, p < 0.05); no other associations between consecutive school grades within and between educational stages were found (all, p > 0.05). This study suggests significant shifts in ACS over the transition from pre-primary education to primary education and from primary education to compulsory secondary education. Educational and policy strategies are important to continue promoting active travel behaviors to school since the first educational stage in youth people.

Keywords:

• Active transport
• cycling
• school
• walking
• youth

Acknowledgments

The team would like to acknowledge the support of the following Spanish research centers and local/regional public institutions in providing data used in this study: Agenda21, UP&DOWN Study Group, University of Valencia, Barcelona Institute of Regional and Metropolitan Studies, University of Granada, Torrelodones and Zarafoza Council, University of Jaen, University of Zaragoza, University of Castilla La Mancha, University of the Balearic Islands, La Biciclante, University Jaume I.

Ethical approval information

The Medical Ethics Committee of University of Granada approved the PACO Study design, study protocols and informed consent procedure (case no. 162/CEIH/2016).

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The PACO Study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness and the European Regional Development Fund (DEP2016-75598-R, MINECO/FEDER, UE), and Spanish Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (FPU17/03934). Additionally, this study has been partially funded by the University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigación 2016, Excellence actions: Units of Excellence; Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES), and by the Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Conocimiento, Investigación y Universidades, European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), ref. SOMM17/6107/UGR. This study is part of a PhD thesis conducted in the Official Doctoral Program in Biomedicine of the University of Granada, Spain.