Influence of weather conditions on children's school travel mode and physical activity in three diverse regions of Canada

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sébastien Blanchette ◽  
Richard Larouche ◽  
Mark S. Tremblay ◽  
Guy Faulkner ◽  
Negin A. Riazi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Early Morning ◽  
School Travel ◽  
School Transportation ◽  
Travel Mode ◽  
Morning Temperature ◽  
Weather Variations ◽  
The Relationship

Children who engage in active school transportation (AST) have higher levels of physical activity (PA). Climate and weather were shown to influence adults' daily travel behaviours, but their influence on children's AST and PA has been less examined. This study examined the influence of weather conditions on children’s active school transportation (AST) and overall physical activity (PA). Children in grades 4 to 6 (N=1,699; 10.2 ± 1.0 years old) were recruited in schools located in urban, suburban and rural areas, stratified by area-level socioeconomic status (SES), in three different regions of Canada (Trois-Rivières, Québec; Ottawa, Ontario; Vancouver, British Columbia). Mode of school travel was self-reported and physical activity was measured using a pedometer. We used publicly available data on total precipitation and early morning temperature. AST increased with temperature only among girls. Daily precipitation was negatively associated with boys’ and girls’ PA while warmer temperature was associated with increased PA on weekend days. We also observed that season and region moderated the relationship between weather conditions and children’s physical activity behaviors. Our results suggest that daily weather variations influence children’s AST and PA to a greater extent than seasonal variations. Interventions designed to help children and families adapt to weather-related barriers to AST and PA are needed. Novelty bullets • In Canada, weather conditions may influence children’s active behaviors daily. • Associations between weather conditions, choice of travel mode and physical activity vary by gender, season, and region. • Weather affects children's PA differently during the week than on weekends.

scholarly journals Like Mother, like Son: Physical Activity, Commuting, and Associated Demographic Factors

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (14) ◽  
pp. 5631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Brand ◽  
Cézane Priscila Reuter ◽  
Arieli Fernandes Dias ◽  
Jorge Mota ◽  
Michael Duncan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Skin Color ◽  
Demographic Factors ◽  
Active Commuting ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Living Area

A mother’s healthy conduct may lead to the healthy conduct of their children. Thus, this study aimed to verify the role of demographic factors in the relationship between mothers’ physical activity (PA) and commuting to work with children and adolescent’s PA and commuting to school. This cross-sectional study comprised 1421 children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years and 1421 mothers, from Brazil. PA, commuting, socioeconomic status (SES), skin color/ethnicity, and living area were evaluated by questionnaire. Logistic binary regression models were used. Results indicated that mothers’ PA and commuting were associated with children and adolescent’s PA and commuting to school in crude and adjusted models. Considering the role of the demographic factors, an association was only observed for girls in the relationship between mother’s PA with children’s PA. In adolescents, an association was observed in both high/low SES, boys/girls, and rural/urban areas. Regarding children and adolescent active commuting to school, there was an association with mothers commuting. All demographic factors were strongly associated, except for rural areas. Therefore, mothers’ PA as well as commuting to work are associated with children and adolescent’s PA and commuting to school. Sex, living area, and SES are the related demographic factors.

The Relationship Between Self-Regulatory Efficacy and Physical Activity in Adolescents With a Caveat: A Cross-Lag Design Examining Weather

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 210-216
Author(s):  
Kathleen S. Wilson ◽  
Kevin S. Spink
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Cold Weather ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
School Year ◽  
Warm Weather ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose: The use of self-efficacy to predict physical activity has a long history. However, this relationship is complex, as self-efficacy is thought to influence and be influenced by physical activity. The directionality of the self-regulatory efficacy (SRE) and physical activity relationship was examined using a cross-lagged design. A secondary purpose was to examine these relationships across differing weather conditions. Methods: Canadian adolescents (N = 337; aged between 13 and 18 years) completed the physical activity and SRE measures 4 times during a school year. Structural equation modeling was used to perform a cross-lag analysis. Results: The relationships between physical activity and SRE appeared to be weather dependent. During a more challenging weather period (eg, cold weather), the relationship between physical activity and SRE was bidirectional. However, no relationship emerged when the 2 constructs were assessed during a more optimal weather period (eg, warm weather). Conclusions: Some support has been provided for the bidirectional nature of the relationship between physical activity and SRE. The relationship appeared to be qualified by climate considerations, suggesting that future research examine how weather may relate not just to physical activity but also to the correlates of physical activity.

scholarly journals School travel and children’s physical activity: a cross-sectional study examining the influence of distance

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy Faulkner ◽  
Michelle Stone ◽  
Ron N. Buliung ◽  
Bonny Wong ◽  
Raktim Mitra
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Travel Distance ◽  
Moderate Activity ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Sampling Frame ◽  
School Travel ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Travel Mode ◽  
Walking To School

Background Walking to school is associated with higher levels of physical activity. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between school travel mode and physical activity using a sampling frame that purposefully locates schools in varying neighbourhoods. Methods Cross-sectional survey of 785 children (10.57 ± 0.7 years) in Toronto, Canada. Physical activity was measured by accelerometry and travel mode was self-reported by parents. Linear regression models accounting for school clustering effects examined the associations between mode choice, BMI, and physical activity and were estimated adjusting for age, types of neighbourhoods and travel distance to school. Results Significant associations between walking to school and moderate activity during weekdays were found. Interactions between walking to school and travel distance to school were found only in boys with significant associations between walking to school and higher physical activity levels in those living within 1000–1600 meters from school. Boys walking to school and living in this range accumulated 7.6 more minutes of daily MVPA than boys who were driven. Conclusions Walking to school can make a modest but significant contribution to overall physical activity. This contribution was modified by travel distance and not school neighbourhood socioeconomic status or the built environment.

scholarly journals Relationship between Smoking, Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Quality of Life among Adolescents

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (21) ◽  
pp. 8043
Author(s):  
Xiaosheng Dong ◽  
Meng Ding ◽  
Wenxin Chen ◽  
Zongyu Liu ◽  
Xiangren Yi
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Linear Regression ◽  
Multiple Linear Regression ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Quality Of Life Scale ◽  
The Relationship

Background: Quality of life (QOL) is a crucial part of evaluating health conditions IN adolescents. The purposes of this study were to (1) examine the relationship of QOL and smoking, physical activity (PA) and screen time (ST) among Chinese adolescents, (2) explore the relationship between PA-ST combination and QOL of adolescents, and (3) investigate the dose-response relationship between PA-ST and QOL. Methods: This study randomly selected 12,900 adolescents (11–18 years) from 13 administrative regions in Shandong Province, China. The data gathering tools for Smoking (tobacco), PA (PAQ-A) and ST (average daily time for ST) and QOL questionnaire (child and adolescent quality of life scale) were completed among all adolescents. Statistical analysis was performed by T test, chi-square test and multiple linear regression. Results: 12,641 adolescents (aged 12–18) completed the study. In multiple linear regression models, the result demonstrated that the adolescents from rural areas, with high ST, low PA, and smoking, with older age and low socioeconomic status, showed a lower QOL score. First-time smokers under 10 years revealed the lowest QOL, and PA > 30 min five days per week have the highest QOL. In addition, boys and girls with PA > 30 min three to four days per week in high ST group obtain the higher scores (boys β = 5.951, girls β = 3.699) than low PA-low ST groups. Conclusions: Adolescents from rural areas suffer from a relatively poorer QOL. More than 30 min of PA five or more days for boys and three or four days per week for girls could decrease negative effects of ST and improve QOL.

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