TY - JOUR PY - 2009// TI - Socio-economic factors and active commuting to school in urban Spanish adolescents: the AVENA study JO - European journal of public health A1 - Chillón, Palma A1 - Ortega, Francisco B. A1 - Ruiz, Jonatan R. A1 - Pérez, Isaac J. A1 - Martín-Matillas, Miguel A1 - Valtueña, Jara A1 - Gómez-Martínez, Sonia A1 - Redondo, Carlos A1 - Rey-López, Juan P. A1 - Castillo, Manuel J. A1 - Tercedor, Pablo A1 - Delgado, Manuel SP - 470 EP - 476 VL - 19 IS - 5 N2 - Background: This study aimed: (i) to describe the patterns of commuting to school in urban Spanish adolescents; and (ii) to examine the associations between active commuting to school (ACS) and socio-economic factors. Methods: From the AVENA Study, 2183 adolescents (1142 females) aged 13-18.5 years were gathered. Mode and time of transportation to school were self-reported by the adolescents. Parental education level (primary, secondary or university degree), parental professional level (managerial, skilled worker or unskilled worker/unemployed) and the type of school (public or private) were self-reported by the parents. The relationships between ACS and socio-economic factors were analysed by binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Nearly <65% of the adolescents reported ACS and 83% of them spent <15 min travelling to school. In male adolescents, maternal primary education level showed an odds ratio (OR) of 1.55 (95% confidence interval, 1.12-2.15), with respect to mothers with a university degree. In female adolescents, mothers with a primary education level showed an OR of 0.68 (0.50-0.92), with respect to mothers with a university degree. Low maternal professional level showed an OR of 1.70 (1.29-2.24), with respect to high maternal professional levels. Students attending public schools showed an OR of 3.47 (2.46-4.90), with respect to students from private schools. Conclusion: Most of the adolescents actively commuted to school, yet the time spent commuting was low. Socio-economic level seems to be inversely related to the ACS in adolescents. Type of school and maternal educational level were the main predictors of ACS.
Language: en
LA - en SN - 1101-1262 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckp048 ID - ref1 ER -