Associations among Active Commuting to School and Prevalence of Obesity in Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Active commuting to school (ACS) seems to be one of the means to increase physical activity (PA) levels in youth, but it is unclear if ACS reduces the prevalence of obesity, protecting and improving their health. Most of the previous research has been conducted on children or youth (i.e., children with adolescents together), and there is a paucity of research in adolescents only. The purpose of this review was to assess the association between ACS with overweight/obesity parameters in adolescents aged 11 to 19 years. We used PubMed, WOS and SPORTDiscus as electronics databases. All steps of the process followed the recommendations of the PRISMA flow-diagram. Fifteen articles (68.18%) found a consistent association between ACS and body composition and seven studies (31.82%) showed no differences in body composition between active and passive commuters to school. Fourteen studies observed that active commuters to school had a more favorable body composition and one study reported that ACS was associated with unfavourable body composition. ACS could be the steppingstone to improve PA promotion in adolescence but whether ACS is associated with improved body composition and prevention of obesity requires further research.

Effectiveness of an Ecological Model-Based Active Transport Education Program on Physical and Mental Health in High School Students (MOV-ES Project): Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Additionally, our protocol study will enhance understanding of the impact of active transport on various health parameters, including body composition, cardiorespiratory risk, physical fitness, mental well-being, and cognition. Regardless of the outcomes, our findings will hold clinical and public health significance, shedding light on the health implications of transportation choices [20,[22][23][24]. Ultimately, our results will pave the way for future research endeavors, addressing a topic that currently lacks robust empirical evidence [49].…”

“…There is evidence that the times when there is most physical activity in school are before school (transportation), during recess, lunch, and after school [15]. In this overall scenario of physical inactivity, active transportation (walking or cycling to and from school) represents an opportunity for children to engage in regular physical activity [16], becoming an economical and sustainable option that impacts the daily living of schoolchildren [17][18][19][20][21]. A meta-analysis indicates that active transportation could contribute between 23% and 36% of daily physical activity in children and adolescents [22].…”

“…A meta-analysis indicates that active transportation could contribute between 23% and 36% of daily physical activity in children and adolescents [22]. Other studies show that schoolchildren who walk or cycle to school achieve higher levels of physical activity [23], lower adiposity [20,24], be er cardiorespiratory fitness [25], a higher level of happiness and well-being [26], and improved academic achievement [27] compared to schoolchildren who do not use it.…”

“…The effectiveness of active transportation interventions in the school se ing has been widely studied [20,21,24,34]. The benefits of this type of intervention do not only include increased physical activity in schoolchildren but also increased positive emotions during the school trip [47], increased safety in the city [48], and improved academic achievement [49].…”