Associations between parental perceptions of neighbourhood environments and active travel to school: IPEN Adolescent study
Abstract Background Studies of correlates of active transport to and from school (ATS) focus mainly on children, have a limited conceptualisation of ATS trips, lack heterogeneity in built environments, and rarely consider effect modifiers. This study aimed to estimate associations of parent-perceive...
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2025-05-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-025-01738-3 |
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| author | Anna Timperio Scott Duncan Muhammad Akram Javier Molina-García Delfien Van Dyck Anthony Barnett Ferdinand Salonna Anjana RM James F. Sallis Michal Vorlíček Erica Hinckson Kelli L. Cain Terry L. Conway Wan Abdul Manan Wan Muda Mika Moran Adewale L. Oyeyemi Andreia Pizarro Rodrigo S. Reis Sheikh Muhammad Rezwan Jasper Schipperijn Ester Cerin |
| author_facet | Anna Timperio Scott Duncan Muhammad Akram Javier Molina-García Delfien Van Dyck Anthony Barnett Ferdinand Salonna Anjana RM James F. Sallis Michal Vorlíček Erica Hinckson Kelli L. Cain Terry L. Conway Wan Abdul Manan Wan Muda Mika Moran Adewale L. Oyeyemi Andreia Pizarro Rodrigo S. Reis Sheikh Muhammad Rezwan Jasper Schipperijn Ester Cerin |
| author_sort | Anna Timperio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Studies of correlates of active transport to and from school (ATS) focus mainly on children, have a limited conceptualisation of ATS trips, lack heterogeneity in built environments, and rarely consider effect modifiers. This study aimed to estimate associations of parent-perceived neighbourhood environment characteristics with self-reported ATS among adolescents from 14 countries, and whether associations differ by sex, city/region, and distance to school. Methods Observational cross-sectional design. Data were from the International Physical activity and Environment Network (IPEN) Adolescent study and included 6302 adolescents (mean age 14.5 ± 1.7 years, 54% girls) and a caretaker from 16 diverse sites. Adolescents self-reported usual travel to and from school by walking and bicycling (days/week) and time it would take to walk. Parents completed the Neighbourhood Environment Walkability Scale for Youth (13 scores computed). Generalised additive mixed models estimated associations of parent neighbourhood perceptions with 1) any active transport to/from school, 2) regular walking (5–10 times/week), 3) regular cycling to/from school, and 4) profiles of ATS generated using latent profile analyses. Interactions were also explored. Results Overall, 58.7% reported any ATS, 39.9% regularly walked, 7.7% regularly cycled, and four profiles of ATS were identified: walk to and from school; walk from school; cycle to and from school; no ATS. Distance to school was negatively associated with all outcomes, though evidence was weak for regular cycling to/from school. Land use mix – diversity was positively related to all ATS outcomes except those related to cycling. Accessibility and walking facilities were associated with higher odds of any ATS, regular walking to/from school, and the profile walking to and from school. Residential density was negatively related to regular cycling to/from school. Positive associations were observed between traffic safety and any ATS, and between safety from crime, aesthetics, and odds of regular cycling to/from school. Distance to school, adolescent sex, and city moderated several associations. Conclusions Parent perceptions of compact, mixed-use development, walking facilities, and both traffic and crime-related safety were important supportive correlates of a range of ATS outcomes among adolescents in high- and low-middle-income countries. Policies that achieve these attributes should be prioritised to support more widespread ATS. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e557eefd71d64c8293f8bada544ecd2f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1479-5868 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| spelling | doaj-art-e557eefd71d64c8293f8bada544ecd2f2025-08-20T03:53:58ZengBMCInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity1479-58682025-05-0122112210.1186/s12966-025-01738-3Associations between parental perceptions of neighbourhood environments and active travel to school: IPEN Adolescent studyAnna Timperio0Scott Duncan1Muhammad Akram2Javier Molina-García3Delfien Van Dyck4Anthony Barnett5Ferdinand Salonna6Anjana RM7James F. Sallis8Michal Vorlíček9Erica Hinckson10Kelli L. Cain11Terry L. Conway12Wan Abdul Manan Wan Muda13Mika Moran14Adewale L. Oyeyemi15Andreia Pizarro16Rodrigo S. Reis17Sheikh Muhammad Rezwan18Jasper Schipperijn19Ester Cerin20Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin UniversitySchool of Sport and Recreation, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of TechnologyHudson Institute of Medical Research, Monash UniversityDepartment of Teaching of Physical Education, Arts and Music, AFIPS Research Group, University of ValenciaDepartment of Movement and Sports Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent UniversityMary Mackillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic UniversityInstitute of Physical Education and Sport at P. J. ŠafarikMadras Diabetes Research FoundationMary Mackillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic UniversityInstitute of Active Lifestyle, Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacký UniversitySchool of Sport and Recreation, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of TechnologyHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health, University of California San DiegoHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health, University of California San DiegoGraduate School of Public Health, Alma Ata UniversitySchool of Public Health, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of HaifaCollege of Health Solutions, Arizona State UniversityResearch Centre in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Faculty of Sport, University of PortoPeople Health and Place Unit, Prevention Research Center, School of Public Health, Washington University in St. LouisDepartment of Architecture, Bangladesh University of Engineering and TechnologyDepartment of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern DenmarkMary Mackillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic UniversityAbstract Background Studies of correlates of active transport to and from school (ATS) focus mainly on children, have a limited conceptualisation of ATS trips, lack heterogeneity in built environments, and rarely consider effect modifiers. This study aimed to estimate associations of parent-perceived neighbourhood environment characteristics with self-reported ATS among adolescents from 14 countries, and whether associations differ by sex, city/region, and distance to school. Methods Observational cross-sectional design. Data were from the International Physical activity and Environment Network (IPEN) Adolescent study and included 6302 adolescents (mean age 14.5 ± 1.7 years, 54% girls) and a caretaker from 16 diverse sites. Adolescents self-reported usual travel to and from school by walking and bicycling (days/week) and time it would take to walk. Parents completed the Neighbourhood Environment Walkability Scale for Youth (13 scores computed). Generalised additive mixed models estimated associations of parent neighbourhood perceptions with 1) any active transport to/from school, 2) regular walking (5–10 times/week), 3) regular cycling to/from school, and 4) profiles of ATS generated using latent profile analyses. Interactions were also explored. Results Overall, 58.7% reported any ATS, 39.9% regularly walked, 7.7% regularly cycled, and four profiles of ATS were identified: walk to and from school; walk from school; cycle to and from school; no ATS. Distance to school was negatively associated with all outcomes, though evidence was weak for regular cycling to/from school. Land use mix – diversity was positively related to all ATS outcomes except those related to cycling. Accessibility and walking facilities were associated with higher odds of any ATS, regular walking to/from school, and the profile walking to and from school. Residential density was negatively related to regular cycling to/from school. Positive associations were observed between traffic safety and any ATS, and between safety from crime, aesthetics, and odds of regular cycling to/from school. Distance to school, adolescent sex, and city moderated several associations. Conclusions Parent perceptions of compact, mixed-use development, walking facilities, and both traffic and crime-related safety were important supportive correlates of a range of ATS outcomes among adolescents in high- and low-middle-income countries. Policies that achieve these attributes should be prioritised to support more widespread ATS.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-025-01738-3Active transportSchool travelCorrelatesPerceived environmentWalkingCycling |
| spellingShingle | Anna Timperio Scott Duncan Muhammad Akram Javier Molina-García Delfien Van Dyck Anthony Barnett Ferdinand Salonna Anjana RM James F. Sallis Michal Vorlíček Erica Hinckson Kelli L. Cain Terry L. Conway Wan Abdul Manan Wan Muda Mika Moran Adewale L. Oyeyemi Andreia Pizarro Rodrigo S. Reis Sheikh Muhammad Rezwan Jasper Schipperijn Ester Cerin Associations between parental perceptions of neighbourhood environments and active travel to school: IPEN Adolescent study International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Active transport School travel Correlates Perceived environment Walking Cycling |
| title | Associations between parental perceptions of neighbourhood environments and active travel to school: IPEN Adolescent study |
| title_full | Associations between parental perceptions of neighbourhood environments and active travel to school: IPEN Adolescent study |
| title_fullStr | Associations between parental perceptions of neighbourhood environments and active travel to school: IPEN Adolescent study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Associations between parental perceptions of neighbourhood environments and active travel to school: IPEN Adolescent study |
| title_short | Associations between parental perceptions of neighbourhood environments and active travel to school: IPEN Adolescent study |
| title_sort | associations between parental perceptions of neighbourhood environments and active travel to school ipen adolescent study |
| topic | Active transport School travel Correlates Perceived environment Walking Cycling |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-025-01738-3 |
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