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Associations between Active Commuting to School and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Spanish School-Aged Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

Author

Listed:
  • Emilio Villa-González

    (Department of Physical Culture, School of Health Sciences, National University of Chimborazo, Avda. Antonio José de Sucre, Km. 1 1/2 vía a Guano, 060150 Riobamba, Ecuador
    Profith “PROmoting FITness and Health through physical activity” Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport, School of Sport Science, University of Granada, Spain Ctra. Alfacar, s/n, 18011 Granada, Spain)

  • Jonatan R. Ruiz

    (Profith “PROmoting FITness and Health through physical activity” Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport, School of Sport Science, University of Granada, Spain Ctra. Alfacar, s/n, 18011 Granada, Spain)

  • Palma Chillón

    (Profith “PROmoting FITness and Health through physical activity” Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport, School of Sport Science, University of Granada, Spain Ctra. Alfacar, s/n, 18011 Granada, Spain)

Abstract

Active commuting (walking or cycling) to school has been positively associated with improved fitness among adolescents. However, current evidence lacks information on whether this association persists in children. The aim of this study was to examine the association of active commuting to school with different fitness parameters in Spanish school-aged children. A total of 494 children (229 girls) from five primary schools in Granada and Jaén (Spain), aged between eight and 11 years, participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed the Assessing Levels of Physical Activity (ALPHA) fitness test battery and answered a self-reported questionnaire regarding the weekly travel mode to school. Active commuting to school was significantly associated with higher levels of speed-agility in boys ( p = 0.048) and muscle strength of the lower body muscular fitness in girls ( p = 0.016). However, there were no significant associations between active commuting to school and cardiorespiratory fitness and upper body muscular fitness. Our findings suggest that active commuting to school was associated with higher levels of both speed-agility and lower body muscular fitness in boys and girls, respectively. Future studies should confirm whether increasing active commuting to school increases speed-agility and muscle strength of the lower body.

Suggested Citation

  • Emilio Villa-González & Jonatan R. Ruiz & Palma Chillón, 2015. "Associations between Active Commuting to School and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Spanish School-Aged Children: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-12, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:12:y:2015:i:9:p:10362-10373:d:54775
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Pablo Galan-Lopez & Francis Ries & Thordis Gisladottir & Raúl Domínguez & Antonio J. Sánchez-Oliver, 2018. "Healthy Lifestyle: Relationship between Mediterranean Diet, Body Composition and Physical Fitness in 13 to 16-Years Old Icelandic Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-15, November.
    2. Javier Molina-García & Xavier García-Massó & Isaac Estevan & Ana Queralt, 2018. "Built Environment, Psychosocial Factors and Active Commuting to School in Adolescents: Clustering a Self-Organizing Map Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Pablo Galan-Lopez & Raúl Domínguez & Maret Pihu & Thordis Gísladóttir & Antonio J. Sánchez-Oliver & Francis Ries, 2019. "Evaluation of Physical Fitness, Body Composition, and Adherence to Mediterranean Diet in Adolescents from Estonia: The AdolesHealth Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-13, November.
    4. Yuqiang Li & Feng Zhang & Qi Chen & Xiaojian Yin & Cunjian Bi & Xiaofang Yang & Yi Sun & Ming Li & Ting Zhang & Yuan Liu & Tao Chen & Akira Suzuki & Satoshi Haneda, 2020. "Levels of Physical Fitness and Weight Status in Children and Adolescents: A Comparison between China and Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Duarte Henriques-Neto & Miguel Peralta & Susana Garradas & Andreia Pelegrini & André Araújo Pinto & Pedro António Sánchez-Miguel & Adilson Marques, 2020. "Active Commuting and Physical Fitness: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-15, April.
    6. Robert J. Noonan & Lynne M. Boddy & Zoe R. Knowles & Stuart J. Fairclough, 2017. "Fitness, Fatness and Active School Commuting among Liverpool Schoolchildren," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-12, August.
    7. Pablo Galan-Lopez & Isabel Lopez-Cobo & Irene García-Lázaro & Francis Ries, 2022. "Associations between Motives for Physical Exercise, Body Composition and Cardiorespiratory Fitness: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-11, October.
    8. Ho Yeung Lam & Sisitha Jayasinghe & Kiran D. K. Ahuja & Andrew P. Hills, 2023. "Active School Commuting in School Children: A Narrative Review of Current Evidence and Future Research Implications," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(20), pages 1-20, October.

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