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Six-Year Trend in Active Commuting to School in Spanish Adolescents

The AVENA and AFINOS Studies

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Abstract

Background

Promoting daily routine activities, such as active commuting to school, may have important health implications for young people.

Purpose

The aim of the study was to examine the secular trend of active commuting to school in Spanish adolescents over a 6-year period (2001–2002 to 2006–2007). We also examined several factors that might explain this trend.

Methods

Data comes from two separate cross-sectional studies, both representatives from the city of Madrid (Spain): AVENA and AFINOS studies. These took place in 2001–2002 and 2006–2007 and included 415 (198 girls) and 891 (448 girls) adolescents aged 13–17, respectively. Commuting to school was assessed using a standardized question about their habitual mode of transportation to school: walking, cycling, bus/subway, car, or motorcycle. Chi-square and binary logistic regression were used.

Results

Percentage of active commuting girls decreased significantly from 61 % to 48 % (p = 0.002) from 2001–2002 to 2006–2007. Walking declined from 61 % to 46 % and the use of bus/subway increased from 25 % to 37 % in girls. Girls belonging to average/small families had lower odds of being active commuters than girls of large families (OR, 95 % CI: 0.69, 0.48 to 0.98). There were no significant differences in mode of commuting to school for boys (p = 0.269).

Conclusion

Spanish adolescent girls in 2007–2008 had lower levels of active commuting to school, mainly walking, than their counterparts 6 years before. Belonging to a large family was related with higher active commuting in girls.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the adolescents and teachers who participated in these studies. The AVENA study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Health, FEDER-FSE funds FIS no. 00/0015 and grants from Panrico S.A., Madaus S.A., and Procter and Gamble S.A. The AFINOS study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (DEP2006-56184-C03-02/PREV) and an E.U. funding (FEDER). DMG had a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (AP2006-02464). FBO is supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Education (EX-2008-0641; RYC-2011-09011) and the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation (20090635).

Disclosure

The content of this paper reflects only the authors' view and the rest of AVENA and AFINOS study members are not responsible for it. The writing group takes sole responsibility for the content of this article.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Education and Sport, School of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, University of Granada (Departamento de Educación Física y Deportiva, Facultad de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte, Universidad de Granada), Ctra Alfacar, s/n, 18001, Granada, Spain

    Palma Chillón, Francisco B. Ortega, Isaac J. Pérez-López & Manuel Delgado-Fernández

  2. Immunonutrition Research Group, Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN), Spanish National Research Council (CISC), C/ José Antonio Novais, 10, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    David Martínez-Gómez, Ligia E. Díaz, Ana M. Veses & Ascensión Marcos

  3. Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Unit for Preventive Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Hälsovägen 7, 141 57, Huddinge, Sweden

    Francisco B. Ortega

  4. Department of Physical Education, Sport and Human Movement, Facultad de Formación del Profesorado y Educación, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Campus de Canto Blanco, Ctra. de Colmenar Km 11, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    Oscar L. Veiga

  5. Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Avda. Madrid, s/n, 18012, Granada, Spain

    Francisco B. Ortega

Authors
  1. Palma Chillón
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  2. David Martínez-Gómez
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  3. Francisco B. Ortega
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  4. Isaac J. Pérez-López
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  5. Ligia E. Díaz
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  6. Ana M. Veses
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  7. Oscar L. Veiga
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  8. Ascensión Marcos
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  9. Manuel Delgado-Fernández
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Palma Chillón.

Additional information

Members of AVENA and AFINOS studies

AVENA study group

Coordinator: A. Marcos, Madrid.

Main investigators: M.J. Castillo, Granada. A. Marcos, Madrid. S. Zamora, Murcia. M. García Fuentes, Santander. M. Bueno, Zaragoza, Spain.

Granada: M.J. Castillo, M.D. Cano, R. Sola (Biochemistry); A. Gutiérrez, J.L. Mesa, J. Ruiz (Physical fitness); M. Delgado, P. Tercedor, P. Chillón (Physical activity), F.B. Ortega, M. Martín, F. Carreño, G.V. Rodríguez, R. Castillo, F. Arellano (Collaborators). Universidad de Granada. E-18071 Granada. Madrid: A. Marcos, M. González-Gross, J. Wärnberg, S. Medina, F. Sánchez Muniz, E. Nova, A. Montero, B. de la Rosa, S. Gómez, S. Samartín, J. Romeo, R. Álvarez (Coordination, immunology), A. Álvarez (Cytometric analysis), L. Barrios (Statistical analysis), A. Leyva, B. Payá (Psychological assessment). L. Martínez, E. Ramos, R. Ortiz, A. Urzanqui (Collaborators). Instituto de Nutrición y Bromatología. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). E-28040 Madrid. Murcia: S. Zamora, M. Garaulet, F. Pérez-Llamas, J.C. Baraza, J.F. Marín, F. Pérez de Heredia, M.A. Fernández, C. González, R. García, C. Torralba, E. Donat, E. Morales, M.D. García, J.A. Martínez, J.J. Hernández, A. Asensio, F.J. Plaza, M.J. López (Diet analysis). Dpto. Fisiología. Universidad de Murcia. E-30100 Murcia. Santander: M. García Fuentes, D. González-Lamuño, P. de Rufino, R. Pérez-Prieto, D. Fernández, T. Amigo (Genetic study). Dpto. Pediatría. Universidad de Cantabria. E-19003 Santander. Zaragoza: M. Bueno, L.A. Moreno, A. Sarriá, J. Fleta, G. Rodríguez, C.M. Gil, M.I. Mesana, J.A. Casajús, V. Blay, M.G. Blay. (Anthropometric assessment). Escuela Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad de Zaragoza. E-50009 Zaragoza

AFINOS Study Group:

Coordinator: Marcos A.

Main investigators: Calle M.E., Villagra A., Marcos A.

Substudy 1: Calle M.E., Regidor E., Martínez-Hernández D., Esteban-Gonzalo L. Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, E-28040, Madrid, Spain. Substudy 2: Villagra A., Veiga O.L., del-Campo J., Moya J.M., Martínez-Gómez D., Zapatera B. Department of Physical Education, Sport and Human Movement, Facultad de Formación del Profesorado y Educación, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, E-28049, Madrid, Spain. Substudy 3: Marcos A., Gómez-Martínez S., Nova E., Wärnberg J., Romeo J., Diaz L.E., Pozo T., Puertollano M.A., Martínez-Gómez D., Zapatera B., Veses A. Immunonutrition Research Group, Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN), Instituto del Frio, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), E-28040, Madrid, Spain.

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Chillón, P., Martínez-Gómez, D., Ortega, F.B. et al. Six-Year Trend in Active Commuting to School in Spanish Adolescents. Int.J. Behav. Med. 20, 529–537 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-012-9267-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-012-9267-9

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