Active school travel: An evaluation of the Canadian school travel planning intervention

• Published in: Preventive medicine Vol. 60; pp. 55 - 59
• Main Authors: Mammen, George, Stone, Michelle R, Faulkner, Guy, Ramanathan, Subha, Buliung, Ron, O’Brien, Catherine, Kennedy, Jacky
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.03.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Active school travel; Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Canada; Capital; Children; Choice Behavior; Committees; Enforcement; Environment Design; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Health Promotion - methods; Humans; Internal Medicine; Intervention; Linear Models; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Physical activity; Pilot Projects; Planning; Prevention and actions; Program Evaluation; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Residence Characteristics; Schools - organization & administration; Schools - statistics & numerical data; Seasons; Social Class; Students - psychology; Students - statistics & numerical data; Time Factors; Transportation - methods; Canada; North America; America; Intervention; Active school travel; Planning; Evaluation; Travel; School environment
• ISSN: 0091-7435; 1096-0260
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.12.008

Abstract Objective Active school travel (AST) may provide a significant source of physical activity for children although rates of AST are declining in many countries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the Canadian School Travel Planning (STP) intervention by examining changes in school travel mode and predictors of mode change. Methods Schools ( n = 106) across Canada participated between January 2010 and March 2012. STP committees implemented school-specific strategies to increase active school transport (AST) which included educational strategies, activities and events, capital improvement projects and enforcement initiatives. Travel mode at each school was assessed by a hands-up survey and school travel plans were reviewed for content. Results Complete data were available for 53 schools. There was no increase in AST at follow-up after one year. There was variation in mode change between schools. Only season of data collection predicted a decrease in AST in the morning ( B = − 5.36, p < .05). Conclusion This Canadian STP evaluation showed no change in AST after one year. There was evidence of some localized success at nearly half of the participating schools. More robust monitoring and evaluation are needed to examine STP effectiveness.