Behavioural correlates of active commuting to school in Spanish adolescents: the AFINOS (Physical Activity as a Preventive Measure Against Overweight, Obesity, Infections, Allergies, and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Adolescents) study.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the associations between lifestyle factors and active commuting to school in Spanish adolescents.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study. Lifestyle factors (overall/extracurricular physical activity, television viewing, reading as a hobby, sleep duration, breakfast/fruit intake, smoking and alcohol intake) as well as mode and duration of commuting to school were self-reported. Active commuters were defined as those adolescents who walked or cycled to school.

SETTING

Secondary schools in Madrid, Spain.

SUBJECTS

Adolescents (n 2029) aged 13 to 17 years.

RESULTS

Similar percentages of adolescent boys (57·6 %) and girls (56·1 %) were classified as active commuters to school (P = 0·491). The analysis showed that only adequate sleep duration (OR = 1·35, 95 % CI 1·11, 1·66; P = 0·003) and breakfast consumption (OR = 0·66, 95 % CI 0·49, 0·87; P = 0·004) were independently associated with active commuting to school.

CONCLUSIONS

Only those behaviours that occur immediately before commuting to school (sleep and breakfast) are associated with active commuting in Spanish adolescents.