Citation

Buttazzoni A, Nelson Ferguson K, Gilliland J. SSM Popul. Health 2023; 22: e101369.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ssmph.2023.101369

PMID

36909930

PMCID

PMC9996358

Abstract

Trends in youth physical activity level have been significantly declining for decades (Guthold et al., 2020). Active travel (AT), or any kind of human-powered transportation (e.g., walking, cycling), has been highlighted as a relatively accessible and effective way for youth (ages 5-19) to increase their physical activity levels and consequently their general health (Schoeppe et al., 2013). Youth engagement in AT, however, is confounded by a myriad of individual, social, and environmental factors including parental controls, traffic, weather, social norms and experiences, and personal competencies (e.g., A. N. Buttazzoni et al., 2019; Murtagh et al., 2012; Ramanathan et al., 2014). Indeed, research regarding rates of different forms of youth AT such as active school travel (AST) has noted a lack of focus on potential mediators and moderators affecting such behaviours (Larouche et al., 2018). Similar salient criticisms have been charged against youth AT literature, with critiques noting a general omission of youth voices and perspectives in this body of literature (e.g., Lopes et al., 2018). While there is an emerging shift toward exploring the perspectives of youth--reflecting an important step in better understanding their experiences and how they recognize their agency in AT endeavours--few large-scale reviews using qualitative methods have sought to document and analyze such child-centred literature (Morris et al., 2022). Recognizing the potential of a larger qualitative synthesis to offer a more in-depth and contextually embedded analyses regarding a complex behaviour like youth AT, the aim of the present paper is to collate and synthesize the existing qualitative literature that explores and discusses youth (5-19 years) perceived barriers and facilitators of AT.

Language: en

Keywords

Review; Physical activity; Cycling; Walking; Youth; Health promotion; Active transportation; Wheeling