Active Commuting to School among Spanish Preschool Children: A Temporal Change Study between 2013 and 2017
Romina Gisele Saucedo-Araujo,
Patricia Gálvez-Fernández,
Cristina Cadenas-Sanchez,
Mairena Sánchez-López,
Pau Avellaneda,
Josep M. Suelves,
Francisco Javier Huertas-Delgado,
Palma Chillón,
Manuel Herrador-Colmenero
Affiliations
Romina Gisele Saucedo-Araujo
Department of Didactics of Musical, Plastic and Corporal Expression, Faculty of Education and Sport Sciences, University of Granada, 52005 Melilla, Spain
Patricia Gálvez-Fernández
Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), University of Granada, 18011 Granada, Spain
Cristina Cadenas-Sanchez
Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), University of Granada, 18011 Granada, Spain
Mairena Sánchez-López
Health and Social Research Centre, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 16071 Cuenca, Spain
Pau Avellaneda
Departament de Geografia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
Josep M. Suelves
Health Department, Public Health Agency of Catalonia, Government of Catalonia, 08005 Barcelona, Spain
Francisco Javier Huertas-Delgado
La Inmaculada Teacher Training Centre, University of Granada, 18011 Granada, Spain
Palma Chillón
Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), University of Granada, 18011 Granada, Spain
Manuel Herrador-Colmenero
Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), University of Granada, 18011 Granada, Spain
Background: Active commuting to school may increase the total daily physical activity and achieve health benefits among preschool children. Rates of active commuting to school among Spanish children and adolescents have been widely analysed, while the rates of active commuting to school among Spanish preschool children are unknown. Aim: The main objective of this study was to examine the changes in the rates of active commuting to school in a sample of Spanish preschool children between 3 and 6 years old from 2013 to 2017. Methods: Data were found from five studies carried out across Spain. The study sample comprised 4787 preschool children (4.59 ± 0.77 years old; 51% males). The overall changes in active commuting to school were assessed using multilevel logistic regression analysis. Results: The rates of active commuting to school in Spanish preschool children are around 52%, and the active commuting to school rates have stayed stable throughout the period assessed (odds ratio from 0.40 to 0.58, all p > 0.05). Conclusion: In preschool children, the present study obtained a favourable result on active commuting to school, showing a pattern stability in the examined period similar to other ages. It will be of great importance to promote this behaviour to obtain high levels of active commuting to school.
