Are We Driving Our Kids to Unhealthy Habits? Results of the Active Healthy Kids Canada 2013 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth

Casey E. Gray, Richard Larouche, Joel D. Barnes, Rachel C. Colley, Jennifer Cowie Bonne, Mike Arthur, Christine Cameron, Jean-Philippe Chaput, Guy Faulkner, Ian Janssen, Angela M. Kolen, Stephen R. Manske, Art Salmon, John C. Spence, Brian W. Timmons and Mark S. Tremblay
Additional contact information
Casey E. Gray: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
Richard Larouche: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
Joel D. Barnes: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
Rachel C. Colley: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
Jennifer Cowie Bonne: Active Healthy Kids Canada, 77 Bloor Street West, Suite 1205, Toronto, ON M5S 1M2, Canada
Mike Arthur: Department of Health and Wellness, P.O. Box 488, Halifax, NS B3J 2R8, Canada
Christine Cameron: Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, 201-185 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, ON K2P 0J2, Canada
Jean-Philippe Chaput: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
Guy Faulkner: Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, 55 Harbord Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2W6, Canada
Ian Janssen: School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
Angela M. Kolen: Department of Human Kinetics, St. Francis Xavier University, P.O. Box 5000 (Courier 1 West Street), Antigonish, NS B2G 2W5, Canada
Stephen R. Manske: Propel Centre for Population Health Impact, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Art Salmon: Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Hearst Block, 9th Floor, 900 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M7A 2E1, Canada
John C. Spence: Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, W1-16h Van Vliet, Edmonton, AL T6G 2H9, Canada
Brian W. Timmons: Child Health & Exercise Medicine Program, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
Mark S. Tremblay: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada

IJERPH, 2014, vol. 11, issue 6, 1-12

Abstract: This article examines the time trends in patterns of school travel mode among Canadian children and youth to inform the Active Transportation (AT) indicator of the 2013 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. The AT grade was assigned based on a comprehensive synthesis of the 2000 and 2010 Physical Activity Monitor studies from the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute and the 1992, 1998, 2005, and 2010 General Social Survey from Statistics Canada. The results showed that in 2013, AT was graded a D, because less than half of Canadian children and youth used only active modes of transportation to get to and from school. The proportion of Canadian children and youth who used only inactive modes of transportation for school travel increased significantly from 51% to 62% over the last decade. Children and youth from larger communities and those with lower household income levels were significantly more likely to use AT than those living in smaller communities and those in higher income households, respectively. In conclusion, motorized transport for school travel has increased steadily over the last decade across Canada. Regional and socio-demographic disparities should be considered in efforts to increase the number of children using AT.

Keywords: motor activity/physiology; schools; transportation/methods; child; adolescent; humans (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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