This study investigated whether being driven to school was associated with lower weekday and weekend step counts, less active out-of-school leisure pursuits and more sedentary behavior.
- Methods: Boys aged 10-13 years (n=384) and girls aged 9-13 years (n=500) attending 25 Australian primary schools wore a pedometer and completed a travel diary for one week. Parents and children completed surveys capturing leisure activity, screen-time and socio-demographics. Commute distance was objectively measured.
- Car travel was the most frequent mode of school transportation (boys: 51%, girls 58%). After adjustment (socio-demographics, commute distance, and school clustering) children who were driven recorded fewer weekday steps than those who walked (girls: -1393 steps p<0.001, boys: -1569 steps, p=0.009) and participated in fewer active leisure activities (girls only p=0.043).
- There were no differences in weekend steps or screen time.
- Conclusion: Being driven to and from school is associated with fewer weekday pedometer-determined physical activity in 9-13 year-old elementary school children. Encouraging children, especially girls, to walk to and from school (even for part of the way for those living further distances) could protect the health and wellbeing of those children who are insufficiently active.
Trapp, G., Giles-Corti, B., Christian, H., Timperio, A. F., McCormack, G. R., Bulsara, M., & Villanueva, K. (2013). Driving Down Daily Step Counts: The Impact of Being Driven to School on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior. Pediatr Exerc Sci.
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