title: Association between habitual school travel and muscular fitness in youth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether active school travel is associated with muscular fitness, which is an emerging marker of youth health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Handgrip strength, vertical jump and vertical jump peak power were measured in n=6829 English schoolchildren (53% males, age 12.9 ± 1.2 years) between 2007 and 2011. Participants were grouped according to self-reported habitual school travel modality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cyclists had greater handgrip strength than passive travelers. Vertical jump height was greater in walkers and cyclists compared with passive travelers. Jump peak power was also higher in walkers than in the passive travel group. Compared with passive travelers, cyclists had a higher (age, sex and BMI-adjusted) likelihood of good handgrip strength (OR 1.42, 95%CI;1.14-1.76) and walkers were more likely to have good measures for vertical jump peak power (OR 1.14, 95%CI;1.00-1.29). Cyclists' likelihood of having good handgrip strength remained significantly higher when adjusted for physical activity (OR 1.29, 95%CI;1.08-1.46).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Muscular fitness differs according to school travel habits. Cycling is independently associated with better handgrip strength perhaps due to the physical demands of the activity. Better muscular fitness may provide another health-related reason to encourage active school travel.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Masira, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical School, University of Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK.
authors.forename: Ayodele A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ogunleye
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Center for Hip Health and Mobility, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Voss
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK.
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Micklewright
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK. Electronic address: gavins@essex.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Gavin R H
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Sandercock
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012574:Schools; D057566:Self Report; D014186:Transportation / Q000379:methods*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Active travel; Adolescents; Children; Cycling; Handgrip; Peak power; Physical activity