Contribution of the School Journey to Daily Physical Activity in Children Aged 11-12 Years

Elissa F. Southward; Angie S. Page; Benedict W. Wheeler; Ashley R. Cooper

doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2012.04.015

Contribution of the School Journey to Daily Physical Activity in Children Aged 11-12 Years

Elissa F. Southward^*, Angie S. Page, Benedict W. Wheeler, Ashley R. Cooper

^*Corresponding author for this work

School for Policy Studies

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

92 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Active travel is a possible method to increase physical activity in children, but the precise contribution of walking to school to daily physical activity is unclear.

Purpose: To combine accelerometer and GPS data to quantify moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on the walk to and from school in relation to overall daily levels.

Methods: Participants were 141 children aged 11-12 years from the PEACH Project (Personal and Environmental Associated with Children's Health) in Bristol, England, measured between 2008 and 2009. Eighty-four children met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Accelerometers measured physical activity, GPS receivers recorded location, and mode of travel was self-reported. Data were analyzed between April and October 2011. Combined accelerometer and GPS data were mapped in a GIS. Minutes of MVPA were compared for school journeys taking place between 8:00AM and 9:00AM and between 3:00PM and 5:00PM and in relation to whole-day levels.

Results: Physical activity levels during journeys to and from school were highly similar, and contributed 22.2 minutes (33.7%) of total daily MVPA. In addition, MVPA on the journey did not differ between boys and girls, but because girls have lower levels of daily physical activity than boys, the journey contributed a greater proportion of their daily MVPA (35.6% vs 31.3%).

Conclusions: The journey to and from school is a significant contributor to MVPA in children aged 11-12 years. Combining GPS and accelerometer data within a GIS is a useful approach to quantifying specific journeys. (Am J Prev Med 2012: 43(2): 201-204) (C) 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	201-204
Number of pages	4
Journal	American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Volume	43
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2012.04.015
Publication status	Published - Aug 2012

Keywords

TRANSPORT
GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM
PEACH PROJECT
GPS
OUTDOORS
ADOLESCENCE
LONGITUDINAL CHANGES
YOUTH

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10.1016/j.amepre.2012.04.015

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PEACH: Personal and Environmental Associations with Childrens Health
Cooper, A. R. (Principal Investigator), Page, A. S. (Co-Investigator), Jago, R. (Co-Investigator), Thompson, J. L. (Co-Investigator), Andrews, R. C. (Co-Investigator), Jones, A. P. (Co-Investigator), Loaring, R. E. (Researcher) & Griffin, T. P. (Researcher)
1/05/06 → 1/05/15
Project: Research

Cite this

@article{d5d872497d444e4b9d0ef076ad213237,

title = "Contribution of the School Journey to Daily Physical Activity in Children Aged 11-12 Years",

abstract = "Background: Active travel is a possible method to increase physical activity in children, but the precise contribution of walking to school to daily physical activity is unclear.Purpose: To combine accelerometer and GPS data to quantify moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on the walk to and from school in relation to overall daily levels.Methods: Participants were 141 children aged 11-12 years from the PEACH Project (Personal and Environmental Associated with Children's Health) in Bristol, England, measured between 2008 and 2009. Eighty-four children met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Accelerometers measured physical activity, GPS receivers recorded location, and mode of travel was self-reported. Data were analyzed between April and October 2011. Combined accelerometer and GPS data were mapped in a GIS. Minutes of MVPA were compared for school journeys taking place between 8:00AM and 9:00AM and between 3:00PM and 5:00PM and in relation to whole-day levels.Results: Physical activity levels during journeys to and from school were highly similar, and contributed 22.2 minutes (33.7%) of total daily MVPA. In addition, MVPA on the journey did not differ between boys and girls, but because girls have lower levels of daily physical activity than boys, the journey contributed a greater proportion of their daily MVPA (35.6% vs 31.3%).Conclusions: The journey to and from school is a significant contributor to MVPA in children aged 11-12 years. Combining GPS and accelerometer data within a GIS is a useful approach to quantifying specific journeys. (Am J Prev Med 2012: 43(2): 201-204) (C) 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine",

keywords = "TRANSPORT, GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM, PEACH PROJECT, GPS, OUTDOORS, ADOLESCENCE, LONGITUDINAL CHANGES, YOUTH",

author = "Southward, {Elissa F.} and Page, {Angie S.} and Wheeler, {Benedict W.} and Cooper, {Ashley R.}",

year = "2012",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1016/j.amepre.2012.04.015",

language = "English",

volume = "43",

pages = "201--204",

journal = "American Journal of Preventive Medicine",

issn = "0749-3797",

publisher = "Elsevier Inc.",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Contribution of the School Journey to Daily Physical Activity in Children Aged 11-12 Years

AU - Southward, Elissa F.

AU - Page, Angie S.

AU - Wheeler, Benedict W.

AU - Cooper, Ashley R.

PY - 2012/8

Y1 - 2012/8

N2 - Background: Active travel is a possible method to increase physical activity in children, but the precise contribution of walking to school to daily physical activity is unclear.Purpose: To combine accelerometer and GPS data to quantify moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on the walk to and from school in relation to overall daily levels.Methods: Participants were 141 children aged 11-12 years from the PEACH Project (Personal and Environmental Associated with Children's Health) in Bristol, England, measured between 2008 and 2009. Eighty-four children met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Accelerometers measured physical activity, GPS receivers recorded location, and mode of travel was self-reported. Data were analyzed between April and October 2011. Combined accelerometer and GPS data were mapped in a GIS. Minutes of MVPA were compared for school journeys taking place between 8:00AM and 9:00AM and between 3:00PM and 5:00PM and in relation to whole-day levels.Results: Physical activity levels during journeys to and from school were highly similar, and contributed 22.2 minutes (33.7%) of total daily MVPA. In addition, MVPA on the journey did not differ between boys and girls, but because girls have lower levels of daily physical activity than boys, the journey contributed a greater proportion of their daily MVPA (35.6% vs 31.3%).Conclusions: The journey to and from school is a significant contributor to MVPA in children aged 11-12 years. Combining GPS and accelerometer data within a GIS is a useful approach to quantifying specific journeys. (Am J Prev Med 2012: 43(2): 201-204) (C) 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine

AB - Background: Active travel is a possible method to increase physical activity in children, but the precise contribution of walking to school to daily physical activity is unclear.Purpose: To combine accelerometer and GPS data to quantify moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on the walk to and from school in relation to overall daily levels.Methods: Participants were 141 children aged 11-12 years from the PEACH Project (Personal and Environmental Associated with Children's Health) in Bristol, England, measured between 2008 and 2009. Eighty-four children met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Accelerometers measured physical activity, GPS receivers recorded location, and mode of travel was self-reported. Data were analyzed between April and October 2011. Combined accelerometer and GPS data were mapped in a GIS. Minutes of MVPA were compared for school journeys taking place between 8:00AM and 9:00AM and between 3:00PM and 5:00PM and in relation to whole-day levels.Results: Physical activity levels during journeys to and from school were highly similar, and contributed 22.2 minutes (33.7%) of total daily MVPA. In addition, MVPA on the journey did not differ between boys and girls, but because girls have lower levels of daily physical activity than boys, the journey contributed a greater proportion of their daily MVPA (35.6% vs 31.3%).Conclusions: The journey to and from school is a significant contributor to MVPA in children aged 11-12 years. Combining GPS and accelerometer data within a GIS is a useful approach to quantifying specific journeys. (Am J Prev Med 2012: 43(2): 201-204) (C) 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine

KW - TRANSPORT

KW - GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM

KW - PEACH PROJECT

KW - GPS

KW - OUTDOORS

KW - ADOLESCENCE

KW - LONGITUDINAL CHANGES

KW - YOUTH

U2 - 10.1016/j.amepre.2012.04.015

DO - 10.1016/j.amepre.2012.04.015

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

C2 - 22813686

SN - 0749-3797

VL - 43

SP - 201

EP - 204

JO - American Journal of Preventive Medicine

JF - American Journal of Preventive Medicine

IS - 2

ER -

Contribution of the School Journey to Daily Physical Activity in Children Aged 11-12 Years

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Keywords

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PEACH: Personal and Environmental Associations with Childrens Health

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