| Description |
The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of active commuting to school (ACS) and the personal, familial, and environmental factors that affect it. The primary goal of the intervention program was to boost physical activity (PA) in children by increasing ACS participation through fun ACS safety promotion. The premise of this ecological study is that the ACS environment affects ACS behavior. A Systematic Pedestrian and Cycling Environmental Scan (SPACES) audit for Mountain West Region neighborhood surveyed physical environmental factors that influence ACS and objectively portrayed an ACS-friendly neighborhood. A pilot study with 16 children and their parents was conducted in the fall of 2017, and a 6-week educational intervention was customized with school committee input, emphasizing inclusivity. Surveys were used to assess ACS and its factors. Although neighborhood assessments raised walkability awareness, there was no increase in ACS during the 6-week study period. The convenience sample was small, and the intervention was short for planned behavior change. Future health educator implications include resuming an ACS intervention with a community-based program for long-term. |
