Heelan Kate A, Abbey Bryce M, Donnelly Joseph E, Mayo Matthew S, Welk Gregory J
Human Performance Laboratory, University of Nebraska at Kearney, USA.
J Phys Act Health. 2009 Sep;6(5):560-7. doi: 10.1123/jpah.6.5.560.
Walking to and from school has potential to increase daily physical activity among children.
A Walking School Bus (WSB) intervention was implemented for 2 years in 2 schools with a third school as a control. The primary aim evaluated school-wide prevalence of walking to school by self-report 6 times (fall, winter, spring). The secondary aims compared objective physical activity levels among a subsample of research participants (intervention [INT] = 201, control [CON] = 123) and between frequency of walking to school groups. INT and CON participants wore an accelerometer during 4 time periods to assess daily physical activity and were measured for body mass index (BMI) and body fat each fall and spring.
School-wide prevalence of walking to school frequently (> 50% of the time each week) was 27% higher in the WSB schools than in the control school. INT obtained significantly more daily physical activity than CON (78.0 [38.9] vs 60.6 [27.7] min/d, P < .05). In addition, across all schools, frequent walkers obtained 25% more physical activity (P < .05), gained 58% less body fat (P < .05), and attenuated BMI by 50% (P < .05) compared with passive commuters.
This study suggests a WSB intervention may increase frequency of walking to school and establishes a link with increased daily physical activity.
步行上下学有可能增加儿童的日常身体活动量。
在两所学校实施了为期两年的步行校车（WSB）干预措施，第三所学校作为对照。主要目的是通过自我报告6次（秋季、冬季、春季）评估全校步行上学的普及率。次要目的是比较研究参与者子样本（干预组[INT]=201，对照组[CON]=123）之间以及步行上学不同频率组之间的客观身体活动水平。INT组和CON组参与者在4个时间段佩戴加速度计以评估日常身体活动量，并且在每年秋季和春季测量体重指数（BMI）和体脂。
WSB学校中经常步行上学（每周超过50%的时间）的全校普及率比对照学校高27%。INT组的每日身体活动量显著高于CON组（78.0[38.9]对60.6[27.7]分钟/天，P<.05）。此外，在所有学校中，与被动通勤者相比，经常步行者的身体活动量多25%（P<.05），体脂增加量少58%（P<.05），BMI降低50%（P<.05）。
本研究表明WSB干预措施可能会增加步行上学的频率，并与日常身体活动量增加建立联系。
