Schabus, Stefan and Tomintz, Melanie N. and Rigby, Jan
(2013)
The Influence of Distance and Neighbourhood Surroundings on Children's Travel Mode to School.
In:
GI_Forum 2013: Creating the GISociety.
ÖAW Verlag, pp. 229-238.
ISBN 9783700174387
Abstract
Nowadays, the amount of physical activity undertaken by children of school age is
decreasing. This is a major concern, as it is linked with growing levels of obesity. This puts
children at risk of a number of subsequent health conditions, particularly diabetes. This
paper analyses the influence of the school environment on children's physical activity. The
travel mode to school and the distance each student travels to school are taken into account.
The analysis draws upon a study carried out in a large number of schools in the Republic of
Ireland (ROI) over the course of 3 years, the Children's Sport Participation and Physical
Activity (CSPPA) Study. By combining the spatial distribution of the students' homes and
information about the school environment, it was possible to analyse on walking and
cycling time by calculating service areas. The results of the analysis illustrate that the
distance has an influence on physical activity because students living within 2.4 km of the
school are more likely to walk to school than students living further away. The analysis also
explored the impact of negative environmental factors.
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