title: Translation of children's cycling into steps: the share of cycling in 10-year-olds' physical activity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Active travel has a potential to increase children's physical activity (PA). Pedometers offer a valid option to measure PA, but do not capture cycling activity. Children's self-reported cycling distances can be analyzed by the Geografic Information System (GIS).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To combine pedometry and GIS mapping to identify the relative amount of cycling in children's PA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of all children in 4th grade (n=187) in Staffanstorp Sweden, 144 had valid pedometer data. Fifty-six children were non-cyclists while 88 children (32 boys, 47 girls, 9 gender unknown) reported at least one cycle journey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cycle trips were entered into GIS and calculated to total cycling distance. Average length of the single distances cycled per day was 676 m (SD=534 m). A previously reported cycling speed (13.5 km/h) was used to calculate time spent cycling. Consequently distance=676 m, speed=13.5 km/h=13,500 m/3600 s=3.75 m/s and time=676m/3.75m/s=180.26 s=3 min. Expenditure of 4 and 5 metabolic equivalents (METs) has in children been reported equivalent to 122 and 127 steps/min, respectively. We estimated 4.7 METs (13.5 km/h) as 126 steps for every min of cycling (127-122=5×0.7=125.5).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The daily mean cycle distance was 676 m, on average 379 additional steps/day for cycling children (min. 21, max. 1385, SD=299) with no gender difference. Additional "steps" obtained by cycling corresponded to on average 3% of their PA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relative contribution of cycling in 10-year-old children's PA level is quite small and stable between children across different levels of activity levels, regardless of gender.
authors: School of Sport Sciences, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden. anders.raustorp@lnu.se
authors: Anders
authors: A
authors: Raustorp
authors: Cecilia
authors: C
authors: Boldemann
authors: Fredrika
authors: F
authors: Mårtensson
authors: Catarina
authors: C
authors: Sternudd
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Johansson
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy / Q000379:methods*; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D062305:Geographic Mapping; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D005082:Physical Exertion; D012737:Sex Factors; D013548:Sweden; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*