Active Transportation Environments Surrounding Canadian Schools

Abstract

Objectives: Walking or cycling to school represents an opportunity for children to engage in physical activity. The study objectives were to: 1) describe active transportation policies, programs, and built environments of Canadian schools and their surrounding neighbourhoods, and 2) document variations based on urban-rural location and school type (primary vs. secondary vs. mixed primary/secondary schools). Methods: 397 schools from across Canada were studied. A school administrator completed a questionnaire and responses were used to assess schools' policies and programs related to active transportation and the safety and aesthetics of their respective neighbourhoods. Built environment features in a 1 km-radius circular buffer around each school were measured using geographic information systems. Results: Greater than 70% of schools had passive policies (e.g., skateboards permitted on school grounds) and facilities (e.g., bicycle racks in secure area to avoid theft) to encourage bicycle and small-wheeled vehicle use. Less than 40% of schools had active programs designed to encourage active transportation, such as organized 'walk to school' days. Garbage in the streets, crime and substance abuse were barriers in most school neighbourhoods. Approximately 42% of schools were located on high-speed roads not amenable to active transportation and 14% did not have a sidewalk leading to the school. Secondary schools had less favourable active transportation policies/programs and neighbourhood safety/aesthetics compared to primary schools. Rural schools had less favourable built environments than urban schools. Conclusion: Canadian children, particularly those from rural areas, face a number of impediments to active transportation as a method of travelling to school.

Socioeconomic Factors Influence Physical Activity and Sport in Quebec Schools

“…As observed in our study as well as by O'Loghlen et al, few primary and secondary schools promote active transport. O'Loghlen et al show that while most schools authorize students to use their bikes and offer bike racks (70%), less than half (40%) have a program to encourage active transport. Clearly, promotion of active transportation is an inexpensive intervention with demonstrated effectiveness .…”

“…Indeed, research demonstrates the importance of promoting PAS which develop students' motor skills for running, throwing, and jumping that can become part of lifelong active lifestyles without requiring engagement in regular team competition. 51 As observed in our study as well as by O'Loghlen et al, 52 few primary and secondary schools promote active transport. O'Loghlen et al 52 show that while most schools authorize students to use their bikes and offer bike racks (70%), less than half (40%) have a program to encourage active transport.…”

Walking in two French neighborhoods: A study of how park numbers and locations relate to everyday walking

“…Accuracy of the Ruler Tool for the study area was assessed by measuring environmental features of known dimensions (e.g., professional sports fields); the correlation between the obtained measure and the known sizes was r = 1.00. Google Earth and the Ruler Tool have been used in other research when GIS data are not available, such as for measuring road widths (Pinkerton, Rosu, Janssen, & Pickett, 2013) or proportion roads with sidewalks (O’Loghlen, Pickett, & Janssen, 2011). …”

Investigating active travel to primary school in Ireland

“…Studies in Australia, Canada, the USA and Europe have identified that children's active travel to school can increase daily levels of physical activity (Cooper et al, 2005;Schofield et al, 2005;Saksvig et al, 2007;Davison et al, 2008;McDonald, 2008;van Sluijs et al, 2009;Faulkner et al, 2009;Panter et al, 2010;Leslie et al, 2010;O'Loghlen et al, 2011) and may help children meet daily physical activity recommendations.…”

“…Parallel to this trend, childhood obesity has been recognised as a global epidemic (World Health Organisation (WHO), 2005a), with high prevalence in the USA, Europe and Ireland (WHO, 2005a, b;Evans et al, 2010). From a public health perspective increasing energy expenditure by facilitating daily active travel to school may help to combat the global rise in obesity and many of the related chronic health conditions (O'Loghlen et al, 2011).…”