Dataset Information

Active commute to school: does distance from school or walkability of the home neighbourhood matter? A national cross-sectional study of children aged 10-11 years, Scotland, UK.

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVES:To study the extent to which home-to-school distance and neighbourhood walkability were associated with self-reported active travel to school (ATS) (eg, walking, cycling), and to explore how distance moderates the effect of walkability on ATS, among 10-11 years old. DESIGN:Cross-sectional study. SETTING:Data were collected between May 2015 and May 2016 in partnership with the Growing Up in Scotland Study, a nationally representative longitudinal cohort study. PARTICIPANTS:713 children (male (n=330) and female (n=383) 10-11 years old) from Studying Physical Activity in Children's Environments across Scotland. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES:Children who actively travelled to/from school categorised as active all (100% of ATS) and active 60%+ (at least 60% of ATS); home-to-school road/path network distance (<0.5 km, 0.5 to <1 km, 1 to <1.5 km, 1.5 to <2 km, 2 km+); home neighbourhood walkability (i.e., composite measure of road/path intersection density and dwelling density) (in quintiles). RESULTS:Distance and walkability were both associated with ATS. The likelihood of ATS for all or most journeys decreased with increasing distance. Compared with 'most' walkable areas (Q1), the odds of active all were significantly lower within least walkable areas (Q5 OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.99), and odds of active 60%+ were significantly less in Q2-Q5 (lowest odds Q5 OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.47). Regarding walkability and distance interactions, for all distance categories, higher walkability increased the probability of ATS (for most school journeys). CONCLUSION:Walkability was positively associated with ATS within all distance categories, with the relationship between walkability and ATS more complex than the clear-cut association between distance and ATS. A more walkable environment had a larger effect on the probability of reaching the 60% threshold of school journeys using ATS than the probability of always travelling in an active manner. Investment is needed in existing less walkable neighbourhoods to provide infrastructure to support opportunities for children's ATS.

SUBMITTER: Macdonald L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7008418 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Active commute to school: does distance from school or walkability of the home neighbourhood matter? A national cross-sectional study of children aged 10-11 years, Scotland, UK.

Macdonald Laura L McCrorie Paul P Nicholls Natalie N Olsen Jonathan R JR

BMJ open 20191223 12

<h4>Objectives</h4>To study the extent to which home-to-school distance and neighbourhood walkability were associated with self-reported active travel to school (ATS) (eg, walking, cycling), and to explore how distance moderates the effect of walkability on ATS, among 10-11 years old.<h4>Design</h4>Cross-sectional study.<h4>Setting</h4>Data were collected between May 2015 and May 2016 in partnership with the Growing Up in Scotland Study, a nationally representative longitudinal cohort study.<h4> ...[more]

PMID: 31874893

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Project description:Although real-time personal exposure monitoring devices have the ability to capture a wealth of data regarding fluctuations in pollutant levels, only a few studies have defined 'peaks' in black carbon (BC) exposure utilizing high-resolution data. Furthermore, studies to assess and characterize various features of peak exposure are very limited especially among children. A better understanding of characteristics of BC peak exposure would improve our understanding of health risks associated with BC. By capturing personal BC exposure at 5-min intervals using a real-time monitor during 24-hr monitoring periods among children in New York City (NYC), we defined 'peak characteristics' in 4 different ways across three major microenvironments (school vs. commute vs. home): 1) mean concentrations of BC across the 3 microenvironments, 2) 'peak duration' or time spent above the peak threshold (i.e., ≥1.5 μg/m3), 3) 'peak intensity' or the rate of exposure, defined as time spent above the threshold within each microenvironment divided by the total time spent in the microenvironment and 4) a novel metric of 'peak variability', defined as frequency of peaks (i.e., data points with +50% and -50% changes compared to the preceding and the subsequent data points), divided by the total time spent in the microenvironment. While peak duration was greatest at home, the intensity of peak exposure was greatest during commute hours, despite the short time spent in commute (p < 0.05). Peak variability was highest during commute, yet lowest in home environments (p < 0.05), particularly during non-sleeping hours. Children residing in a high-density urban setting spent on average, 5.4 hr per day above our peak threshold (≥1.5 μg/m3) in their everyday environments. Policies that limit children's exposure during high traffic periods and improved efforts to increase the number of vehicles using clean air technology could reduce the intensity of peaks and peak variability in children's BC exposure.

Project description:Multimorbidity has become highly prevalent around the globe and been associated with adverse health outcomes and cost of care. The built environment has become an important dimension in response to obesity and associated chronic diseases by addressing population sedentariness and low physical activity.ObjectiveThe aim of the following study was to examine whether there was an increased risk for multimorbidity for those living in less walkable neighbourhoods. It was hypothesised that participants residing in less walkable neighbourhoods would have a higher risk for multimorbidity.SettingCity of Toronto and 14 neighbouring regions/municipalities within Ontario, Canada.ParticipantsStudy participants who had completed the Canadian Community Health Survey between the year 2000 and 2012, between 20 and 64 and 65 and 95 years of age, residing within a neighbourhood captured in the Walkability Index, and who were not multimorbid at the time of interview, were selected.InterventionThe Walkability Index was the key exposure in the study, which is divided into quintiles (1-least, 5-most walkable neighbourhoods). Participants were retrospectively allocated to one of five quintiles based on their area of residency (at the time of interview) and followed for a maximum of 16 years.Primary outcome measureBecoming multimorbid with two chronic conditions.Secondary outcome measureBecoming multimorbid with three chronic conditions.ResultsRisk for multimorbidity (two chronic conditions) was highest in least compared with most walkable neighbourhoods with an HR of 1.14 (95% CI: 1.02 to 1.28, p=0.0230). While results showed an overall gradient response between decreased walkability and increased risk for multimorbidity, they were not statistically significant across all quintiles or in the older-adult cohort (65-95 years of age).ConclusionStudy results seem to suggest that low neighbourhood walkability may be a risk factor for multimorbidity over time. More studies are needed to examine whether neighbourhood walkability is a potential solution for multimorbidity prevention at the population level.

Dataset Information

Active commute to school: does distance from school or walkability of the home neighbourhood matter? A national cross-sectional study of children aged 10-11 years, Scotland, UK.

Publications

Active commute to school: does distance from school or walkability of the home neighbourhood matter? A national cross-sectional study of children aged 10-11 years, Scotland, UK.

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