Regional Comparisons of Walking or Bicycling for Fun or Exercise and for Active Transport in a Nationally Distributed Sample of Community-based Youth

Overview

Journal Pediatr Obes

Specialties Endocrinology
Pediatrics

Date 2018 Jun 15

PMID 29900698

Citations 1

Authors

R P Saunders

M Dowda

K McIver

R R Pate

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Physical activity helps prevent excessive weight gain in youth. Few studies have examined regional variations in common activities, walking and bicycling.

Objective: The primary aim was to examine participation in previous 7-day walking/bicycling for active transport and for fun/exercise by region, gender and age groups.

Methods: Children (n = 2693) from 130 diverse, geographically distributed US communities reported participation in previous 7-day walking/bicycling. Mixed model ANOVAs were used to compare walking/bicycling by region, gender and age groups using Healthy Communities Study data.

Results: Walking/bicycling for fun/exercise was higher in the Midwest, South and West compared with the Northeast, with the same regional patterns for boys, girls and 9-11-year olds. Walking/bicycling to non-school destinations was higher in the Midwest compared with the South and Northeast, with the same pattern for girls and 9-11-year olds. Walking/bicycling to school was higher Midwest, Northeast and West compared with the South, with similar patterns for girls and 12-15-year olds.

Conclusions: Walking/bicycling for fun/exercise and to non-school destinations had higher prevalence than active transport to school. The Northeast reported lower walking/bicycling for fun/exercise; the South and Northeast reported lower walking/bicycling to non-school destinations. Program/policy initiatives should consider contextual demographic influences, as well as purpose/destination of walking/bicycling.

Citing Articles

Cross-Country Comparisons of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among 5-Year-Old Children.

McIver K, Pate R, Dowda M, Johnson S, Yang J, Butterworth M Int J Pediatr. 2020; 2020:7912894.

PMID: 32565835 PMC: 7290875. DOI: 10.1155/2020/7912894.

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