title: Does parental accompaniment when walking or cycling moderate the association between physical neighbourhood environment and active transport among 10-12 year olds?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether associations between neighbourhood environmental features and frequency of children's active trips per week are moderated by frequency of parental accompaniment when walking/cycling.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey
  
  
  METHODS
  Children aged 10-12 years (n=677) were recruited from 19 schools in Melbourne, Australia. Parents reported the number of walking/cycling trips/week usually made by their child to eight local destinations. Environmental variables (i.e. number of cul-de-sacs, intersections, public open spaces (POS) defined as reserves or parks, sport and recreation POS, sport options, population density, length of busy roads and length of walking/cycling tracks) within an 800m buffer around participants' homes were objectively assessed with a Geographic Information System. Associations between neighbourhood features and frequency of active trips were assessed using multilevel linear regressions. Moderating effects of regular parental accompaniment when walking/cycling were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parental co-participation in walking and cycling was positively associated with frequency of overall walking/cycling trips. Number of intersections, sport and recreation POS, sport options and population density were positively associated with walking/cycling trips. Only one significant interaction was found; a positive association was found between intersection density and walking/cycling trips among children whose parents did not cycle with them while it was not associated among others.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Building supporting and safe neighbourhood environments is needed to support children's active travel behaviours to improve real and perceived safety concerns and provide relevant infrastructure and destinations, regardless of whether or not parents accompany children during walking and cycling. Although little evidence of moderation was found, future research should include co-participation in a broader range of walking behaviours.
authors: Department of Human Biometry and Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Education and Physical Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium; Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium; Fund for Scientific Research Flanders, Belgium, Belgium. Electronic address: ariane.ghekiere@ugent.be.
authors: Ariane
authors: A
authors: Ghekiere
authors: Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Australia. Electronic address: alison.carver@deakin.edu.au.
authors: Alison
authors: A
authors: Carver
authors: Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Australia. Electronic address: jenny.veitch@deakin.edu.au.
authors: Jenny
authors: J
authors: Veitch
authors: Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Australia. Electronic address: jo.salmon@deakin.edu.au.
authors: Jo
authors: J
authors: Salmon
authors: Department of Human Biometry and Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Education and Physical Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium; Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium. Electronic address: Benedicte.Deforche@vub.ac.be.
authors: Benedicte
authors: B
authors: Deforche
authors: Fund for Scientific Research Flanders, Belgium, Belgium. Electronic address: anna.timperio@deakin.edu.au.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Timperio
mesh_terms: D001642:Bicycling / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D014739:Victoria; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Co-participation; Cycling; GIS; Modelling; Parents; Physical activity