Dataset Information

Adult active transport in the Netherlands: an analysis of its contribution to physical activity requirements.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Modern, urban lifestyles have engineered physical activity out of everyday life and this presents a major threat to human health. The Netherlands is a world leader in active travel, particularly cycling, but little research has sought to quantify the cumulative amount of physical activity through everyday walking and cycling.

Methods

Using data collected as part of the Dutch National Travel Survey (2010 - 2012), this paper determines the degree to which Dutch walking and cycling contributes to meeting minimum level of physical activity of 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity throughout the week. The sample includes 74,465 individuals who recorded at least some travel on the day surveyed. As physical activity benefits are cumulative, all walking and cycling trips are analysed, including those to and from public transport. These trips are then converted into an established measure of physical activity intensity, known as metabolic equivalents of tasks. Multivariate Tobit regression models were performed on a range of socio-demographic, transport resources, urban form and meteorological characteristics.

Results

The results reveal that Dutch men and women participate in 24 and 28 minutes of daily physical activity through walking and cycling, which is 41% and 55% more than the minimum recommended level. It should be noted however that some 57% of the entire sample failed to record any walking or cycling, and an investigation of this particular group serves as an important topic of future research. Active transport was positively related with age, income, bicycle ownership, urban density and air temperature. Car ownership had a strong negative relationship with physically active travel.

Conclusion

The results of this analysis demonstrate the significance of active transport to counter the emerging issue of sedentary lifestyle disease. The Dutch experience provides other countries with a highly relevant case study in the creation of environments and cultures that support healthy, active living.

SUBMITTER: Fishman E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4388541 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Adult active transport in the Netherlands: an analysis of its contribution to physical activity requirements.

Fishman Elliot E Böcker Lars L Helbich Marco M

PloS one 20150407 4

<h4>Introduction</h4>Modern, urban lifestyles have engineered physical activity out of everyday life and this presents a major threat to human health. The Netherlands is a world leader in active travel, particularly cycling, but little research has sought to quantify the cumulative amount of physical activity through everyday walking and cycling.<h4>Methods</h4>Using data collected as part of the Dutch National Travel Survey (2010 - 2012), this paper determines the degree to which Dutch walking ...[more]

PMID: 25849902

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Project description:BackgroundEnvironments within schools including the physical, social-cultural and policy/practice environments have the potential to influence children's physical activity (PA) behaviours and weight status. This Australian first study comprehensively examined the association(s) of physical, social-cultural and policy/practice environments with PA, active transport (AT) and weight status among regional primary school children.MethodsData were from two childhood obesity monitoring systems in regional Victoria, Australia. Measured height and weight were collected from students in Year 2 (aged approx. 7-8 years), Year 4 (9-10 years), and Year 6 (11-12 years). Self-reported PA behaviour, including AT were collected from students in Year 4 and 6 and a sub-sample wore an ActiGraph (wGT3X-BT) accelerometer for 7-days. A school physical activity environment audit was completed by the school principal and responses were used to calculate school physical activity environment scores (PAES) and active transport environment scores (ATES). Mixed effects logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between the proportion of students meeting the PA guidelines (≥60mins/day of moderate-to-vigorous PA) and PAES tertiles (low, medium, high) and those using AT and school ATES tertiles, controlling for gender, school size/type and socioeconomic composition.ResultsThe analysed sample included 54/146 (37%) schools and 3360/5376 (64%) students. In stratified analysis, girls in schools with a medium PAES score were more likely to meet the objectively measured PA guideline compared to low PAES score (OR 2.3, 95%CI 1.27, 4.16). Similarly, students in schools with a medium or high ATES score had higher odds of self-reported AT (medium OR 3.15, 95%CI 1.67, 5.94; high OR 3.71, 95%CI: 1.80, 7.64). No association between PAES or ATES and weight status were observed. Self-reported AT among boys (OR 1.59, 95%CI 1.19, 2.13) and girls (OR 1.56, 95%CI 1.08, 2.27) was associated with higher odds of meeting self-reported PA guidelines on all 7-days than those who did not report using AT.ConclusionsIn this study of regional Victorian primary schools, PA environments were only associated with girls' adherence to PA guidelines. School AT environments were strongly associated with students' AT behaviours and with increased likelihood of students being physically active.

Project description:BackgroundPublic transport users tend to accumulate more physical activity than non-users; however, whether physical activity is increased by financially incentivising public transport use is unknown. The trips4health study aimed to determine the impact of an incentive-based public transport intervention on physical activity.MethodsA single-blinded randomised control trial of a 16-week incentive-based intervention involved Australian adults who were infrequent bus users (≥ 18 years; used bus ≤ 2 times/week) split equally into intervention and control groups. The intervention group were sent weekly motivational text messages and awarded smartcard bus credit when targets were met. The intervention group and control group received physical activity guidelines. Accelerometer-measured steps/day (primary outcome), self-reported transport-related physical activity (walking and cycling for transport) and total physical activity (min/week and MET-min/week) outcomes were assessed at baseline and follow-up.ResultsDue to the COVID pandemic, the trial was abandoned prior to target sample size achievement and completion of all assessments (N = 110). Steps/day declined in both groups, but by less in the intervention group [-557.9 steps (-7.9%) vs.-1018.3 steps/week (-13.8%)]. In the intervention group, transport-related physical activity increased [80.0 min/week (133.3%); 264.0 MET-min/week (133.3%)] while total physical activity levels saw little change [35.0 min/week (5.5%); 25.5 MET-min/week (1.0%)]. Control group transport-related physical activity decreased [-20.0 min/week (-27.6%); -41.3 MET-min/week (-17.3%)], but total physical activity increased [260.0 min/week (54.5%); 734.3 MET-min/week (37.4%)].ConclusionThis study found evidence that financial incentive-based intervention to increase public transport use is effective in increasing transport-related physical activity These results warrant future examination of physical activity incentives programs in a fully powered study with longer-term follow-up.Trial registrationThis trial was registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry August 14th, 2019: ACTRN12619001136190; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=377914&isReview=true.

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Project description:ObjectivesTo explore whether the physical activity (PA) environment (walkability, greenspace and recreational facilities) surrounding regional primary schools is associated with children's PA levels, active transport and weight status. Limited research on this topic has been conducted outside of major cities.DesignCross-sectional ecological study using baseline data from two large-scale obesity prevention interventions.SettingEighty (n=80) primary schools across two regional areas in Victoria, Australia.ParticipantsStudents aged 8-13 years (n=2144) attending participating primary schools.Outcome measuresMeasured weight status (body mass index z-score, proportion overweight/obese) and self-reported PA behaviours (meeting PA recommendations and active travel behaviour).ResultsWhen adjusted for student and school demographics, students had significantly increased odds of using active transport to or from school when the school neighbourhood was more walkable (OR 1.21 (95% CI 1.09 to 1.35), had a greater number of greenspaces (OR 1.35 (95% CI 1.20 to 1.53)) and a greater number of recreational facilities (OR 1.18 (95% CI 1.07 to 1.31)). A higher cumulative PA environment score was also associated with a higher proportion of children using active transport (OR 1.33 (95% CI 1.28 to 1.51)). There were no significant associations between the PA environment measures and either weight status or meeting the PA recommendations in adjusted models.ConclusionsThis study is the first of its kind exploring school neighbourhood environments and child weight status and PA in regional areas of Australia. It highlights the potential of the environment surrounding primary schools in contributing to students' active travel to and from school. Further research with the use of objective PA measurement is warranted in regional areas that have been under-researched.Trial registration numberAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR.org.au) identifier 12616000980437; Results.

Dataset Information

Adult active transport in the Netherlands: an analysis of its contribution to physical activity requirements.

Introduction

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Adult active transport in the Netherlands: an analysis of its contribution to physical activity requirements.

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