Are Safety-Related Features of the Road Environment Associated with Smaller Declines in Physical Activity among Youth?

This study examined how objective measures of the local road environment related to safety were associated with change in physical activity (including active transport) among youth. Few longitudinal studies have examined the impact of the road environment on physical activity among children/adolescents in their neighborhoods. Participants were children aged 8–9 years (n = 170) and adolescents aged 13–15 years (n = 276) in 2004. Data were collected in 2004 and 2006 during follow-up of participants recruited initially in 2001 from 19 primary schools in Melbourne, Australia. Walking/cycling to local destinations was parent-reported for children and self-reported by adolescents. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during nonschool hours was recorded using accelerometers. Road environment features in each participant’s neighborhood (area within 800 m radius of their home) were measured objectively using a Geographical Information System. Linear regression analyses examined associations between road features and changes in active transport (AT) and MVPA over 2 years. Children’s AT increased but MVPA levels decreased in both age groups; on average, younger girls recorded the greatest declines. The number of traffic/pedestrian lights was associated with ΔAT among younger girls (B=0.45, p=0.004). The total length of walking tracks (in meters) was associated with ∆AT among younger girls (B = 0.0016, p = 0.015) and adolescent girls (B = 0.0016, p = 0.002). For adolescent boys, intersection density was associated with ∆AT (B = 0.03, p = 0.030). Slow points were associated with ∆MVPA among younger boys before school (B = 1.55, p = 0.021), while speed humps were associated with ∆MVPA among adolescent boys after school (B = 0.23, p = 0.015). There were many associations for adolescent girls: for example, the total length of local roads (B = 0.49, p = 0.005), intersection density (B = 0.05, p = 0.036), and number of speed humps (B = 0.33, p = 0.020) were associated with ∆MVPA during nonschool hours. Safety-related aspects of the built environment are conducive to physical activity among youth and may help stem age-related declines in physical activity. Passive road safety interventions may promote AT and physical activity among less active girls, in particular

Pedalando em busca de alternativas saudáveis e sustentáveis Cycling to achieve healthy and sustainable alternatives

A busca por cidades e cidadãos mais saudáveis vem contribuindo para o fortalecimento de políticas públicas de valorização da bicicleta como meio de transporte em diferentes países, oferecendo benefícios para a promoção da saúde, mas também podendo ampliar o risco de acidentes. Esta revisão tem como objetivo analisar a produção científica que trata da relação entre o ciclismo como meio de transporte e a saúde pública. As bases de dados utilizadas foram PubMed, Lilacs e SciELO, com 66 artigos completos selecionados. Os resultados demonstram que é recente a preocupação com este tema, especialmente nos países em desenvolvimento. Os principais temas abordados pelos pesquisadores foram: segurança no trânsito, políticas públicas e os efeitos do ciclismo na saúde. Conclui-se que o padrão de utilização da bicicleta como meio de transporte ocorre de forma bastante heterogênea, mas com potenciais maiores impactos nos países em desenvolvimento, aonde torna-se urgente a inclusão deste tema nas agendas de pesquisas sobre a relação entre promoção do transporte ativo, saúde e segurança no trânsito.<br>The quest for healthier cities and citizens has contributed to the strengthening of public policies championing the bicycle as a means of transportation and offering benefits to individual wellbeing in various countries, however there is also an increased risk of accidents. The scope of this review is to analyze scientific output dealing with the relationship between cycling as a means of transportation and public health. PubMed, LILACS and SciELO were the chosen databases used in the research and 66 complete articles were selected. The results show that concern about this theme is recent, especially in developing countries. The most recurrent topics raised by the researchers were: traffic safety, public policies and the effects of cycling on health. We concluded that the decision to use the bicycle as a means of transportation occurs in a very heterogeneous manner, albeit with potentially greater impacts in developing countries where the inclusion of this theme in the research agendas related to the promotion of active transport, health and traffic safety is a matter of urgency