Citation

Perchoux C, Nazare JA, Benmarhnia T, Salze P, Feuillet T, Hercberg S, Hess F, Menai M, Weber C, Charreire H, Enaux C, Oppert JM, Simon C. BMC Public Health 2017; 17(1): e569.

Affiliation

Service d'Endocrinologie, Diabète, Nutrition Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, 165 Chemin du Grand Revoyet, F69310, Pierre-Bénite, France. chantal.simon@univ-lyon1.fr.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/s12889-017-4464-8

PMID

28606118

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Active transportation has been associated with favorable health outcomes. Previous research highlighted the influence of neighborhood educational level on active transportation. However, little is known regarding the effect of commuting distance on social disparities in active commuting. In this regard, women have been poorly studied. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the relationship between neighborhood educational level and active commuting, and to assess whether the commuting distance modifies this relationship in adult women.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study is based on a subsample of women from the Nutrinet-Santé web-cohort (N = 1169). Binomial, log-binomial and negative binomial regressions were used to assess the associations between neighborhood education level and (i) the likelihood of reporting any active commuting time, and (ii) the share of commuting time made by active transportation modes. Potential effect measure modification of distance to work on the previous associations was assessed both on the additive and the multiplicative scales.

RESULTS: Neighborhood education level was positively associated with the probability of reporting any active commuting time (relative risk = 1.774; p < 0.05) and the share of commuting time spent active (relative risk = 1.423; p < 0.05). The impact of neighborhood education was greater at long distances to work for both outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that neighborhood educational disparities in active commuting tend to increase with commuting distance among women. Further research is needed to provide geographically driven guidance for health promotion intervention aiming at reducing disparities in active transportation among socioeconomic groups.

Language: en

Keywords

Active commuting; Distance to work; Effect measure modification; Neighborhood education; Social environment