Abstract
Only 25–35% of Canadian children and youth regularly engage in active transportation (AT; e.g., non-motorized travel modes such as walking and cycling) to/from school. Previous research shows that distance between home and school is the strongest barrier to AT. Based on social ecological theory, we describe several strategies to overcome this barrier. At the individual level, children and youth could engage in AT to/from destinations such as parks, shops, friends’ and family members’ residence, and sport fields which may be located closer than their school. Parents who drive their kids to/from school could drop them within a “walkable” distance so that they can walk for the remainder of the trip. Partnerships could be developed between schools and other nearby institutions that would allow cars and buses to use their parking lot temporarily so that children could do a portion of the school trip on foot. Developing a well-connected network of sidewalks along low traffic streets can also facilitate AT. At the policy level, decisions regarding school location have a direct influence on distance. Finally, social marketing campaigns could raise awareness about strategies to incorporate AT into one’s lifestyle, and encourage parents to reconsider what constitutes a “walkable” distance.
Key words: Transportation, child, adolescent, schools, walking, exercise
Résumé
Seulement 25–35% des enfants et adolescents canadiens font régulièrement du transport actif (TA; soit l’utilisation de modes de transport non-motorisés comme la marche et le vélo) pour se rendre à l’école et en revenir. Des études précédentes montrent que la distance entre l’école et la maison est la principale barrière au TA. D’après le modèle socio-écologique, nous décrivons plusieurs stratégies pour surmonter cette barrière. Au niveau individuel, les jeunes pourraient faire du TA pour aller à des destinations situées plus près de leur domicile comme au parc, au magasin, à la résidence de leurs amis ou de membres de leur famille ou au terrain de sport. Les parents qui conduisent leur enfant en voiture pourraient se stationner près de l’école pour effectuer le reste du trajet à pied. Des partenariats pourraient être développés entre les écoles et des institutions avoisinantes qui permettraient que les voitures et autobus utilisent leur stationnement temporairement pour que les jeunes puissent faire une partie du trajet à pied. Le développement d’un réseau de trottoirs bien connectés le long de rues avec une faible circulation automobile pourrait également favoriser le TA. Au niveau politique, les décisions quant à l’emplacement des écoles ont un impact direct sur la distance. Finalement, des campagnes de marketing social pourraient sensibiliser les gens aux stratégies pour incorporer le TA à ses habitudes de vie, et encourager les parents à reconsidérer ce que représente une distance ªmarchable«.
Mots clés: transport, enfant, adolescent, école, marche, exercice
Footnotes
Conflict of Interest: None to declare.
References
- 1.Active Healthy Kids Canada. Are we driving our kids to unhealthy habits? 2013 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity in Children and Youth. Toronto, ON: Active Healthy Kids Canada; 2013. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 2.Larouche R, Saunders T, Faulkner GEJ, Colley RC, Tremblay MS. J Phys Act Health. 2012. Associations between active school transport and physical activity, body composition and cardiovascular fitness: A systematic review of 68 studies. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 3.Marshall JD, Wilson RD, Meyer KL, Rajangam SK, McDonald NC, Wilson EJ. Vehicle emissions during children’s school commuting: Impact of education policy. Environ Sci Technol. 2010;44(5):1537–43. doi: 10.1021/es902932n. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 4.Fyhri A, Hjorthol R, Mackett RL, Fotel TN, Kytta M. Children’s active travel and independent mobility in four countries: Development, social contributing trends and measures. Transport Policy. 2011;18:703–10. doi: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2011.01.005. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
- 5.Hillman M, Adams J, Whitelegg J. One False Move: A Study of Children’s Independent Mobility. London: PSI Publishing; 1990. [Google Scholar]
- 6.Stewart O. Findings from research on active transportation to school and implications for Safe Routes to School programs. J Plan Lit. 2011;26(2):127–50. doi: 10.1177/0885412210385911. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
- 7.Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2008.
- 8.McDonald NC. Active transportation to school: Trends among U.S. schoolchildren, 1969–2001. Am J Prev Med. 2007;32:509–16. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2007.02.022. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 9.Bauman AE, Reis RS, Sallis JF, Wells JC, Loos RJF, Martin BW. Correlates of physical activity: Why are some people physically active and others not? Lancet. 2012;380(9838):258–71. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60735-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 10.BMC Public Health. 2011. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed]
- 11.Smith L, Sahlqvist S, Ogilvie D, Jones A, Griffin SJ, van Sluijs E. Is active travel to non-school destinations associated with physical activity in primary school children? Prev Med. 2012;54:224–28. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2012.01.006. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 12.Henderson S, Tanner R, Klanderman N, Mattera A, Webb LM, Steward J. Safe Routes to School: A public health practice success story–Atlanta, 2008–2010. J Phys Act Health. 2013;10:141–42. doi: 10.1123/jpah.10.2.141. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 13.Giles-Corti B, Wood G, Pikora T, Learnihan V, Bulsara M, Van Niel K, et al. School site and the potential to walk to school: The impact of street connectivity and traffic exposure in school neighborhoods. Health Place. 2011;17(2):545–50. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2010.12.011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 14.Environmental Protection Agency. Travel and Environmental Implications of School Siting. Washington, DC: Environmental Protection Agency; 2003. [Google Scholar]
- 15.Gilbert R, O’Brien C. Canadian child- and youth-friendly land-use and transport planning guidelines. Winnipeg, MB: Centre for Sustainable Transportation; 2010. [Google Scholar]