How actively do children travel to their pre-school setting?

Oxford, Liz; Pollock, Jon

Abstract

© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. Background: Physical activity in early childhood can impact favourably on later child and adult health and walking or cycling for transport, otherwise known as 'active travel', is recommended as a way of increasing activity levels in children and adults. This preliminary study focussed on active travel amongst pre-school aged children, an age group that has received little attention in this respect. It aimed to determine the prevalence of active travel in four pre-school settings and assess factors influencing travel patterns. Methods: A cross sectional travel survey in four pre-schools: two in each of two contrasting socio-economic neighbourhoods was completed in April 2013. Results: 289 questionnaires were completed i.e. a response rate of 83.5%. Analysis focussed on the four pre-schools since sample heterogeneity precluded neighbourhood comparisons. Active travel prevalence for children usually arriving and/or collected for each pre-school was 40.8% (A), 56.9% (B), 34.1% (C) and 60.0% (D). Regression analysis showed that distance to pre-school, weather and other travel commitments independently predicted active travel. Conclusion: This preliminary study identified factors associated with active travel amongst pre-school aged children and issues warranting further research. Addressing these could assist in developing effective strategies to promote active travel in the early years of life.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 13, 2015
• Publication Date: Jun 26, 2014
• Journal: Journal of Transport and Health
• Print ISSN: 2214-1405
• Electronic ISSN: 2214-1405
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 151-159
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2015.02.002
• Keywords: survey, travel, pre-school, transport, distance
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/843793
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2015.02.002
• Related Public URLs: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2015.02.002