Translation of children’s cycling into steps: the share of cycling in 10-year-olds’ physical activity

• Background: Active travel has a potential to increase children ' s physical activity (PA). Pedometers offer a valid option to measure PA, but do not capture cycling activity. Children ' s self-reported cycling distances can be analyzed by the Geografic Information System (GIS). Aim: To combine pedometry and GIS mapping to identify the relative amount of cycling in children ' s PA. Study group: Of all children in 4th grade (n = 187) in Staffanstorp Sweden, 144 had valid pedometer data. Fifty-six children were non-cyclists while 88 children (32 boys, 47 girls, 9 gender unknown) reported at least one cycle journey. Methods: Cycle trips were entered into GIS and calculated to total cycling distance. Average length of the single distances cycled per day was 676 m (SD = 534 m). A previously reported cycling speed (13.5 km/h) was used to calculate time spent cycling. Consequently distance = 676 m, speed = 13.5 km/h = 13,500 m/3600 s = 3.75 m/s and time = 676m/3.75m/s = 180.26 s = 3 min. Expenditure of 4 and 5 metabolic equivalents (METs) has in children been reported equivalent to 122 and 127 steps/min, respectively. We estimated 4.7 METs (13.5 km/h) as 126 steps for every min of cycling (127 - 122 = 5 ×?0.7 = 125.5). Results: The daily mean cycle distance was 676 m, on average 379 additional steps/day for cycling children (min. 21, max. 1385, SD = 299) with no gender difference. Additional " steps " obtained by cycling corresponded to on average 3 % of their PA. Conclusion: The relative contribution of cycling in 10-yearold children ' s PA level is quite small and stable between children across different levels of activity levels, regardless of gender. © 2013 Walter de Gruyter GmbH.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Pediatrik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Pediatrics (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Idrottsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Sport and Fitness Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Pedometry

Physical activity

Cycling

Bicycling

GIS mapping

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