Built environment changes and active transport to school among adolescents: BEATS Natural Experiment Study protocol

<p><strong>Introduction</strong>&nbsp;Natural experiments are considered a priority for examining causal associations between the built environment (BE) and physical activity (PA) because the randomised controlled trial design is rarely feasible. Few natural experiments have ex...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mandic, S, Hopkins, D, García Bengoechea, E, Moore, A, Sandretto, S, Coppell, K, Ergler, C, Keall, M, Rolleston, A, Kidd, G, Wilson, G, Spence, JC
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2020
_version_ 1826299740388589568
author Mandic, S
Hopkins, D
García Bengoechea, E
Moore, A
Sandretto, S
Coppell, K
Ergler, C
Keall, M
Rolleston, A
Kidd, G
Wilson, G
Spence, JC
author_facet Mandic, S
Hopkins, D
García Bengoechea, E
Moore, A
Sandretto, S
Coppell, K
Ergler, C
Keall, M
Rolleston, A
Kidd, G
Wilson, G
Spence, JC
author_sort Mandic, S
collection OXFORD
description <p><strong>Introduction</strong>&nbsp;Natural experiments are considered a priority for examining causal associations between the built environment (BE) and physical activity (PA) because the randomised controlled trial design is rarely feasible. Few natural experiments have examined the effects of walking and cycling infrastructure on PA and active transport in adults, and none have examined the effects of such changes on PA and active transport to school among adolescents. We conducted the Built Environment and Active Transport to School (BEATS) Study in Dunedin city, New Zealand, in 2014&ndash;2017. Since 2014, on-road and off-road cycling infrastructure construction has occurred in some Dunedin neighbourhoods, including the neighbourhoods of 6 out of 12 secondary schools. Pedestrian-related infrastructure changes began in 2018. As an extension of the BEATS Study, the BEATS Natural Experiment (BEATS-NE) (2019&ndash;2022) will examine the effects of BE changes on adolescents&rsquo; active transport to school in Dunedin, New Zealand.</p> <p><strong>Methods and analysis</strong>&nbsp;The BEATS-NE Study will employ contemporary ecological models for active transport that account for individual, social, environmental and policy factors. The published BEATS Study methodology (surveys, accelerometers, mapping, Geographic Information Science analysis and focus groups) and novel methods (environmental scan of school neighbourhoods and participatory mapping) will be used. A core component continues to be the community-based participatory approach with the sustained involvement of key stakeholders to generate locally relevant data, and facilitate knowledge translation into evidence-based policy and planning.</p> <p><strong>Ethics and dissemination</strong>&nbsp;The BEATS-NE Study has been approved by the University of Otago Ethics Committee (reference: 17/188). The results will be disseminated through scientific publications and symposia, and reports and presentations to stakeholders.</p> <p><strong>Trial registration number</strong>&nbsp;ACTRN12619001335189.</p>
first_indexed 2024-03-07T05:06:33Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:da1f1d5b-0572-49a7-b2a8-dca7a1bab924
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T05:06:33Z
publishDate 2020
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:da1f1d5b-0572-49a7-b2a8-dca7a1bab9242022-03-27T09:00:55ZBuilt environment changes and active transport to school among adolescents: BEATS Natural Experiment Study protocol Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:da1f1d5b-0572-49a7-b2a8-dca7a1bab924EnglishSymplectic ElementsBMJ Publishing Group2020Mandic, SHopkins, DGarcía Bengoechea, EMoore, ASandretto, SCoppell, KErgler, CKeall, MRolleston, AKidd, GWilson, GSpence, JC<p><strong>Introduction</strong>&nbsp;Natural experiments are considered a priority for examining causal associations between the built environment (BE) and physical activity (PA) because the randomised controlled trial design is rarely feasible. Few natural experiments have examined the effects of walking and cycling infrastructure on PA and active transport in adults, and none have examined the effects of such changes on PA and active transport to school among adolescents. We conducted the Built Environment and Active Transport to School (BEATS) Study in Dunedin city, New Zealand, in 2014&ndash;2017. Since 2014, on-road and off-road cycling infrastructure construction has occurred in some Dunedin neighbourhoods, including the neighbourhoods of 6 out of 12 secondary schools. Pedestrian-related infrastructure changes began in 2018. As an extension of the BEATS Study, the BEATS Natural Experiment (BEATS-NE) (2019&ndash;2022) will examine the effects of BE changes on adolescents&rsquo; active transport to school in Dunedin, New Zealand.</p> <p><strong>Methods and analysis</strong>&nbsp;The BEATS-NE Study will employ contemporary ecological models for active transport that account for individual, social, environmental and policy factors. The published BEATS Study methodology (surveys, accelerometers, mapping, Geographic Information Science analysis and focus groups) and novel methods (environmental scan of school neighbourhoods and participatory mapping) will be used. A core component continues to be the community-based participatory approach with the sustained involvement of key stakeholders to generate locally relevant data, and facilitate knowledge translation into evidence-based policy and planning.</p> <p><strong>Ethics and dissemination</strong>&nbsp;The BEATS-NE Study has been approved by the University of Otago Ethics Committee (reference: 17/188). The results will be disseminated through scientific publications and symposia, and reports and presentations to stakeholders.</p> <p><strong>Trial registration number</strong>&nbsp;ACTRN12619001335189.</p>
spellingShingle Mandic, S
Hopkins, D
García Bengoechea, E
Moore, A
Sandretto, S
Coppell, K
Ergler, C
Keall, M
Rolleston, A
Kidd, G
Wilson, G
Spence, JC
Built environment changes and active transport to school among adolescents: BEATS Natural Experiment Study protocol
title Built environment changes and active transport to school among adolescents: BEATS Natural Experiment Study protocol
title_full Built environment changes and active transport to school among adolescents: BEATS Natural Experiment Study protocol
title_fullStr Built environment changes and active transport to school among adolescents: BEATS Natural Experiment Study protocol
title_full_unstemmed Built environment changes and active transport to school among adolescents: BEATS Natural Experiment Study protocol
title_short Built environment changes and active transport to school among adolescents: BEATS Natural Experiment Study protocol
title_sort built environment changes and active transport to school among adolescents beats natural experiment study protocol
work_keys_str_mv AT mandics builtenvironmentchangesandactivetransporttoschoolamongadolescentsbeatsnaturalexperimentstudyprotocol
AT hopkinsd builtenvironmentchangesandactivetransporttoschoolamongadolescentsbeatsnaturalexperimentstudyprotocol
AT garciabengoecheae builtenvironmentchangesandactivetransporttoschoolamongadolescentsbeatsnaturalexperimentstudyprotocol
AT moorea builtenvironmentchangesandactivetransporttoschoolamongadolescentsbeatsnaturalexperimentstudyprotocol
AT sandrettos builtenvironmentchangesandactivetransporttoschoolamongadolescentsbeatsnaturalexperimentstudyprotocol
AT coppellk builtenvironmentchangesandactivetransporttoschoolamongadolescentsbeatsnaturalexperimentstudyprotocol
AT erglerc builtenvironmentchangesandactivetransporttoschoolamongadolescentsbeatsnaturalexperimentstudyprotocol
AT keallm builtenvironmentchangesandactivetransporttoschoolamongadolescentsbeatsnaturalexperimentstudyprotocol
AT rollestona builtenvironmentchangesandactivetransporttoschoolamongadolescentsbeatsnaturalexperimentstudyprotocol
AT kiddg builtenvironmentchangesandactivetransporttoschoolamongadolescentsbeatsnaturalexperimentstudyprotocol
AT wilsong builtenvironmentchangesandactivetransporttoschoolamongadolescentsbeatsnaturalexperimentstudyprotocol
AT spencejc builtenvironmentchangesandactivetransporttoschoolamongadolescentsbeatsnaturalexperimentstudyprotocol