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  • Title: Bicycling to school is associated with improvements in physical fitness over a 6-year follow-up period in Swedish children.
    Author: Chillón P, Ortega FB, Ruiz JR, Evenson KR, Labayen I, Martínez-Vizcaino V, Hurtig-Wennlöf A, Veidebaum T, Sjöström M.
    Journal: Prev Med; 2012 Aug; 55(2):108-12. PubMed ID: 22683705.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVE: To examine whether modes of commuting to school at baseline and changes in commuting were related to 6-year changes in cardiorespiratory fitness in youth. METHODS: A total of 262 (142 girls) Swedish children (9 years at entry) were measured at baseline (1998/9) and follow-up (2004/5). Mode of commuting to school was assessed by questionnaire and fitness by a maximal bicycle test. RESULTS: At baseline, 34% of children used passive modes of commuting (e.g., car, motorcycle, bus, train), 54% walked, and 12% bicycled to school. Six years later the percentage of bicyclists increased 19% and the percentage of walkers decreased 19%. On average, children who bicycled to school increased their fitness 13% (p=0.03) more than those who used passive modes and 20% (p=0.002) more than those who walked. Children who used passive modes or walked at baseline and bicycled to school at 6 years later increased their fitness 14% (p=0.001) more than those who remained using passive modes or walking at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing initiatives that encourage bicycling to school may be a useful strategy to increase cardiorespiratory fitness of children.
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