Bicycling to school is associated with improvements in physical fitness over a 6-year follow-up period in Swedish children

Chillón, Palma (author): Department of Physical Education and Sport, School of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain

Evenson, Kelly R (author): Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolinat, Chapel Hill NC, United States; Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill NC, United States

Labayen, Idoia (author): Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Unit for Preventive Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

Martínez-Vizcaino, Vicente (author): Social and Health Care Research Center, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain

Hurtig-Wennlöf, Anita, 1958- (author): Örebro universitet,Institutionen för hälsovetenskap och medicin

Veidebaum, Toomas (author): National Institute for Heath Development, Centre of Behavioral and Health Sciences, Tallinn, Estonia

(creator_code:org_t)

Elsevier BV, 2012
2012
English.
In: Preventive Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 0091-7435 .- 1096-0260. ; 55:2, s. 108-112

Related links:: https://urn.kb.se/re...; show more...; https://doi.org/10.1...; http://kipublication...; show less...

Abstract Subject headings

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether modes of commuting to school at baseline and changes in commuting were related to 6-year changes in cardiorespiratory fitness in youth.METHODS: A total of 262 (142 girls) Swedish children (9 years at entry) were measured at baseline (1998/9) and follow-up (2004/5). Mode of commuting to school was assessed by questionnaire and fitness by a maximal bicycle test.RESULTS: At baseline, 34% of children used passive modes of commuting (e.g., car, motorcycle, bus, train), 54% walked, and 12% bicycled to school. Six years later the percentage of bicyclists increased 19% and the percentage of walkers decreased 19%. On average, children who bicycled to school increased their fitness 13% (p=0.03) more than those who used passive modes and 20% (p=0.002) more than those who walked. Children who used passive modes or walked at baseline and bicycled to school at 6 years later increased their fitness 14% (p=0.001) more than those who remained using passive modes or walking at follow-up.CONCLUSIONS: Implementing initiatives that encourage bicycling to school may be a useful strategy to increase cardiorespiratory fitness of children.

By the author/editor: Chillón, Palma; Ortega, Francisc ...; Ruiz, Jonatan R; Evenson, Kelly R; Labayen, Idoia; Martínez-Vizcain ...; show more...; Hurtig-Wennlöf, ...; Veidebaum, Tooma ...; Sjöström, Michae ...; show less...

About the subject

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: MEDICAL AND HEAL ...; and Clinical Medicin ...; and General Practice

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