Socio-economic factors and active commuting to school in urban Spanish adolescents: the AVENA study.
BACKGROUND
This study aimed: (i) to describe the patterns of commuting to school in urban Spanish adolescents; and (ii) to examine the associations between active commuting to school (ACS) and socio-economic factors.


METHODS
From the AVENA Study, 2183 adolescents (1142 females) aged 13-18.5 years were gathered. Mode and time of transportation to school were self-reported by the adolescents. Parental education level (primary, secondary or university degree), parental professional level (managerial, skilled worker or unskilled worker/unemployed) and the type of school (public or private) were self-reported by the parents. The relationships between ACS and socio-economic factors were analysed by binary logistic regression.


RESULTS
Nearly <65% of the adolescents reported ACS and 83% of them spent <15 min travelling to school. In male adolescents, maternal primary education level showed an odds ratio (OR) of 1.55 (95% confidence interval, 1.12-2.15), with respect to mothers with a university degree. In female adolescents, mothers with a primary education level showed an OR of 0.68 (0.50-0.92), with respect to mothers with a university degree. Low maternal professional level showed an OR of 1.70 (1.29-2.24), with respect to high maternal professional levels. Students attending public schools showed an OR of 3.47 (2.46-4.90), with respect to students from private schools.


CONCLUSIONS
Most of the adolescents actively commuted to school, yet the time spent commuting was low. Socio-economic level seems to be inversely related to the ACS in adolescents. Type of school and maternal educational level were the main predictors of ACS.
Chillón
Palma
P
Department of Physical Education and Sport, School of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Carretera Alfacar s/n, Granada, Spain. pchillon@ugr.es
Ortega
Francisco B
FB
Ruiz
Jonatan R
JR
Pérez
Isaac J
IJ
Martín-Matillas
Miguel
M
Valtueña
Jara
J
Gómez-Martínez
Sonia
S
Redondo
Carlos
C
Rey-López
Juan P
JP
Castillo
Manuel J
MJ
Tercedor
Pablo
P
Delgado
Manuel
M
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain; D014186:Transportation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*