Associations of commuting to school and work with demographic variables and with weight status in eight European countries: The ENERGY-cross sectional study

Abstract

This study aims to assess the prevalence of different modes of commuting to school and work for 10-12year-olds and their parents; to assess the associations with demographic variables (country, sex, parental education and ethnicity) and with weight status in eight European countries. As part of the ENERGY project a cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2010 in which modes of commuting and socio-demographic variables for children (N=7903) and one of their parents (n=6455) were measured by questionnaires. Children's weight and height were objectively measured; parents self-reported their weight and height. Logistic multilevel regression analyses assessed the associations between mode of commuting and overweight. Differences between countries and differences in mode of commuting according to demographic variables were tested using χ-test and Marascuilo's Post-hoc analysis. There were marked differences between countries, especially regarding cycling to school, which was common in The Netherlands and Norway and rare in Greece and Spain. Demographic variables were associated with mode of commuting in children and parents. Mode of commuting was not associated with being overweight in children, after adjustment for demographic variables. Bicycling to work, but not other modes of commuting, was significantly inversely associated with being overweight among parents (OR=0.74 (95%CI 0.57-0.97)). Interventions targeting active commuting may promote cycling, and should take into account the differences regarding demographic variables.

No Association Between Active Commuting to School, Adiposity, Fitness, and Cognition in Spanish Children: The MOVI‐KIDS Study

“…Additionally, few studies were conducted among populations with high frequencies of children cycling to school . In the present study, all children made the trip from home to school on foot, which could indicate that walking to school does not have enough potential to improve body adiposity as has been described in other studies . On the other hand, these findings could be explained by country differences in cycling and walking habits.…”

“…The inconsistencies found for this relationship may be explained by the fact that most studies combined walking and cycling to school in their analyses . Additionally, few studies were conducted among populations with high frequencies of children cycling to school . In the present study, all children made the trip from home to school on foot, which could indicate that walking to school does not have enough potential to improve body adiposity as has been described in other studies .…”

“…32 In the present study, all children made the trip from home to school on foot, which could indicate that walking to school does not have enough potential to improve body adiposity as has been described in other studies. 13,15,32 On the other hand, these findings could be explained by country differences in cycling and walking habits. Hence, Brug et al showed that walking to school is most common in countries such as Spain or Greece, where cycling to school is uncommon and overweight rates are higher.…”

“…Besides, unlike countries such as Spain or the United States, where the probability of walking to school decreases with longer distances and cycling to school is uncommon, in Holland, the distance was significantly associated with an increase in cycling . It is not surprising, therefore, that in countries where cycling is more common, ACS is associated with less adiposity . Moreover, it may be necessary to maintain the habit of ACS over time to improve the adiposity of children …”

“…36 It is not surprising, therefore, that in countries where cycling is more common, ACS is associated with less adiposity. 12,32,33,37,38 Moreover, it may be necessary to maintain the habit of ACS over time to improve the adiposity of children. 39 In the same way, our data suggest that walking to school was not associated with CRF levels in children.…”