Review of Interventions to Promote Active Transportation to School
Author Information
Author(s): Chillón Palma, Evenson Kelly R, Vaughn Amber, Ward Dianne S
Primary Institution: University of Granada, Spain; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Hypothesis
Interventions are needed to reverse the decline in active transportation to school among children and adolescents.
Conclusion
More research with higher quality study designs and measures should be conducted to evaluate interventions for increasing active transportation to school.
Supporting Evidence
- 14 interventions were identified that focused on active transportation to school.
- Most interventions reported a small effect size on active transportation.
- Interventions were heterogeneous in design and effectiveness.
Takeaway
This study looked at different programs that help kids walk or bike to school. It found that while some programs worked, we need better studies to see which ones are the best.
Methodology
A systematic review was conducted to identify intervention studies of active transportation to school published in the scientific literature through January 2010.
Potential Biases
Many studies lacked representative samples and had methodological flaws.
Limitations
Most studies had weak quality ratings and did not account for confounders or use valid measurement tools.
Participant Demographics
The studies primarily focused on children aged 5 to 12 years from various countries including the USA, Australia, and the UK.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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