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. 2009 Oct;19(5):470-6.
doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckp048. Epub 2009 Jun 17.

Socio-economic factors and active commuting to school in urban Spanish adolescents: the AVENA study

Palma Chillón  1 , Francisco B Ortega, Jonatan R Ruiz, Isaac J Pérez, Miguel Martín-Matillas, Jara Valtueña, Sonia Gómez-Martínez, Carlos Redondo, Juan P Rey-López, Manuel J Castillo, Pablo Tercedor, Manuel Delgado; AVENA Study Group
Collaborators, Affiliations

Socio-economic factors and active commuting to school in urban Spanish adolescents: the AVENA study

Palma Chillón et al. Eur J Public Health. 2009 Oct.

Abstract

Background: This study aimed: (i) to describe the patterns of commuting to school in urban Spanish adolescents; and (ii) to examine the associations between active commuting to school (ACS) and socio-economic factors.

Methods: From the AVENA Study, 2183 adolescents (1142 females) aged 13-18.5 years were gathered. Mode and time of transportation to school were self-reported by the adolescents. Parental education level (primary, secondary or university degree), parental professional level (managerial, skilled worker or unskilled worker/unemployed) and the type of school (public or private) were self-reported by the parents. The relationships between ACS and socio-economic factors were analysed by binary logistic regression.

Results: Nearly <65% of the adolescents reported ACS and 83% of them spent <15 min travelling to school. In male adolescents, maternal primary education level showed an odds ratio (OR) of 1.55 (95% confidence interval, 1.12-2.15), with respect to mothers with a university degree. In female adolescents, mothers with a primary education level showed an OR of 0.68 (0.50-0.92), with respect to mothers with a university degree. Low maternal professional level showed an OR of 1.70 (1.29-2.24), with respect to high maternal professional levels. Students attending public schools showed an OR of 3.47 (2.46-4.90), with respect to students from private schools.

Conclusion: Most of the adolescents actively commuted to school, yet the time spent commuting was low. Socio-economic level seems to be inversely related to the ACS in adolescents. Type of school and maternal educational level were the main predictors of ACS.

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