Trends in active commuting to school from 2003 to 2017 among children and adolescents from Germany: The MoMo-Study

Oral Presentation B2.2

Authors

  • Isabel Marzi Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg
  • Anne K. Reimers Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg
  • Steffen C. E. Schmidt Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
  • Claudia Niessner Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
  • Doris Oriwol Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
  • Annette Worth University of Education Karlsruhe
  • Alexander Woll Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.487

Keywords:

Active Transportation, Walking, Physical Activity, Socio-Demographic Correlates

Abstract

Background: To overcome the high prevalence of inactivity in children and adolescents different domains of physical activity such as active transport need to be targeted in intervention programs. Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, time-trend, and socio-demographic correlates of ACS in a nationwide sample of girls and boys from Germany. Methods: Self-reports on commuting to school and its socio-demographic correlates from 11,387 participants aged 4 to 17 years were analyzed at three measurement points between 2003 and 2017. The sample is representative regarding sex, age, region, migration background, and education level among children and adolescents in Germany (MoMo-Study). Results: Overall, ACS decreased from 84.4% in 2003-2006 to 78.3% in 2014-2017. The proportion of passive commuting predominantly increased in children aged 4-5, in children with low and medium SES, and in small and medium-sized towns. No gender differences were found in active commuting. Results of multinomial logistic regression identified age, migrations background and residential area as correlates of walking in boys. In girls, the chance of walking, bicycling and taking public transport compared to motorized transport increased with age. Conclusions: Intervention programs to increase active transport in children and adolescents should target different age groups and promote parental involvement to change children’s choice of transport mode. Funding: MoMo is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (funding reference number: 01ER1503) within the research program ´long-term studies` in public health research.

Published

2021-09-30

How to Cite

Marzi, I., Reimers, A. K., Schmidt, S. C. E., Niessner, C., Oriwol, D., Worth, A., & Woll, A. (2021). Trends in active commuting to school from 2003 to 2017 among children and adolescents from Germany: The MoMo-Study: Oral Presentation B2.2. The Health & Fitness Journal of Canada, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.487