Why don’t they walk or cycle? Reflections on active home–school transportation among Portuguese adolescents: the role of environmental perceptions

The way adolescents travel to school can be an important health promotion strategy. The main objective of this research was to identify the relationships between the Portuguese adolescents’ perception of their neighbourhood and their option for active transportation (AT). The Health Behaviour in Sch...

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Main Authors: Nuno Loureiro, Margarida Gaspar de Matos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2014-01-01
Series:Urban, Planning and Transport Research
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21650020.2014.922896
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author Nuno Loureiro
Margarida Gaspar de Matos
author_facet Nuno Loureiro
Margarida Gaspar de Matos
author_sort Nuno Loureiro
collection DOAJ
description The way adolescents travel to school can be an important health promotion strategy. The main objective of this research was to identify the relationships between the Portuguese adolescents’ perception of their neighbourhood and their option for active transportation (AT). The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children 2010 questionnaire, was applied to 3,494 adolescents with an average age of 14.93 (DP ± 1.29), 53.6% of whom were female. The associations were studied by applying χ² tests and multivariate logistic regression models. In this study, 35% of the sample reported walking or cycling to school. AT to school is associated with age, more frequent in the adolescents aged 16 and older (OR = 1.19, p < .05), more frequent in residential areas with good public services (OR = 1.79, p < .05), as well as in beautiful neighbourhoods (OR = 1.76, p < .05), less frequent in neighbourhoods with nightlife entertainment (OR = 0.73, p < .05), and in those characterized by violence and theft (OR = 0.56, p < .05) as well as in isolated areas (OR = 0.66, p < .05). Finally, it was more frequent when the travel time from home to school was lower (OR = 0.57, p < .05). Conclusion: The results show that the adolescents’ perceptions about some of the characteristics of their neighbourhood environments are associated with their options concerning AT when travelling to school.
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spelling doaj.art-12c627fdc0c940e593c68e3464ce9a732022-12-21T22:58:46ZengTaylor & Francis GroupUrban, Planning and Transport Research2165-00202014-01-012126527310.1080/21650020.2014.922896922896Why don’t they walk or cycle? Reflections on active home–school transportation among Portuguese adolescents: the role of environmental perceptionsNuno Loureiro0Margarida Gaspar de Matos1Universidade de Lisboa, Aventura Social ProjectUniversidade de Lisboa, Aventura Social ProjectThe way adolescents travel to school can be an important health promotion strategy. The main objective of this research was to identify the relationships between the Portuguese adolescents’ perception of their neighbourhood and their option for active transportation (AT). The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children 2010 questionnaire, was applied to 3,494 adolescents with an average age of 14.93 (DP ± 1.29), 53.6% of whom were female. The associations were studied by applying χ² tests and multivariate logistic regression models. In this study, 35% of the sample reported walking or cycling to school. AT to school is associated with age, more frequent in the adolescents aged 16 and older (OR = 1.19, p < .05), more frequent in residential areas with good public services (OR = 1.79, p < .05), as well as in beautiful neighbourhoods (OR = 1.76, p < .05), less frequent in neighbourhoods with nightlife entertainment (OR = 0.73, p < .05), and in those characterized by violence and theft (OR = 0.56, p < .05) as well as in isolated areas (OR = 0.66, p < .05). Finally, it was more frequent when the travel time from home to school was lower (OR = 0.57, p < .05). Conclusion: The results show that the adolescents’ perceptions about some of the characteristics of their neighbourhood environments are associated with their options concerning AT when travelling to school.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21650020.2014.922896active transportationneighbourhoodadolescentssafetyaestheticsphysical activity
spellingShingle Nuno Loureiro
Margarida Gaspar de Matos
Why don’t they walk or cycle? Reflections on active home–school transportation among Portuguese adolescents: the role of environmental perceptions
Urban, Planning and Transport Research
active transportation
neighbourhood
adolescents
safety
aesthetics
physical activity
title Why don’t they walk or cycle? Reflections on active home–school transportation among Portuguese adolescents: the role of environmental perceptions
title_full Why don’t they walk or cycle? Reflections on active home–school transportation among Portuguese adolescents: the role of environmental perceptions
title_fullStr Why don’t they walk or cycle? Reflections on active home–school transportation among Portuguese adolescents: the role of environmental perceptions
title_full_unstemmed Why don’t they walk or cycle? Reflections on active home–school transportation among Portuguese adolescents: the role of environmental perceptions
title_short Why don’t they walk or cycle? Reflections on active home–school transportation among Portuguese adolescents: the role of environmental perceptions
title_sort why don t they walk or cycle reflections on active home school transportation among portuguese adolescents the role of environmental perceptions
topic active transportation
neighbourhood
adolescents
safety
aesthetics
physical activity
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21650020.2014.922896
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