Manuel Herrador-Colmenero

Assessing Modes and Frequency of Commuting to School in Youngsters: A Systematic Review

The first objective was to review and analyze self-reported measures used for assessing mode and frequency of commuting to and from school in youngsters (4-18.5 years old). The secondary objective was to conduct a qualitative appraisal of the identified studies. We searched five online databases: PubMed, SportDiscus, ProQuest, National Transportation Library, and Web of Knowledge. Four categories of search terms were identified: self-report, active transportation, school-aged children and school. Titles and abstracts were reviewed to determine whether the studies met the inclusion criteria. The quality of the reporting of the measures was assessed using a tailored list. The electronic search strategy produced 5,898 studies. After applying the inclusion criteria, we identified 158 studies. Sixty-three studies (39.8%) specified the question about modes of commuting to school. One hundred seven studies (67.7%) directly questioned the study subjects (i.e., children and/or adolescents). Twenty studies (12.7%) posed a valid and reliable question. The quality assessment of the self-report measures was medium. The self-report measures used in the literature for assessing commuting to school tend to be heterogeneous and make difficult interstudies comparisons. Therefore we put forward the idea of a standard question designed to elicit reliable, comparable information on commuting to school.

Association of sedentary time and physical activity with pain, fatigue, and impact of fibromyalgia: the al‐Ándalus study

We examined the association of objectively measured sedentary time (ST) and physical activity (PA) levels with pain, fatigue, and the impact of the disease in women with fibromyalgia. Four hundred and nineteen (mean age ± SD = 51.7 ± 7.6 years old) women with fibromyalgia participated. ST and PA levels (light, moderate, and moderate‐to‐vigorous [MVPA]) were measured with triaxial accelerometry. We assessed experimental pain with algometry and clinical pain, fatigue, and impact of fibromyalgia with a number of questionnaires. The association of ST and light PA with most of the pain‐ and fatigue‐related outcomes and impact of fibromyalgia (all, P ≤ 0.019) was independent of moderate and vigorous PA. Furthermore, the association of vigorous PA with general and physical fatigue was independent of ST and light and moderate PA (all, P < 0.001). In conclusion, lower levels of ST or higher levels of light PA are associated with lower pain, fatigue, and the overall impact of the disease independent of moderate and vigorous PA in women with fibromyalgia. Interestingly, higher vigorous PA is independently associated with lower general and physical fatigue. These results are significant for future ST and PA intervention studies in this population.

The Threshold Distance Associated with Walking from Home to School.

Active commuting to school has health implications among young people. We aimed to (a) examine the patterns of commuting to school in children and adolescents regarding gender and area of residence, (b) study the association between distance from home to school and mode of commuting, and (c) identify the threshold distance below which young people are more likely to walk to school. A total of 6,004 students aged 7 to 18 years from Spain participated in this study. Mode of commuting was self-reported and distance was objectively measured using Google Maps software. Associations were examined using binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curves analysis. Around 67% of children and 60% of adolescents commuted to school actively (mainly walking). The threshold distance for walking to school was 875 m, 0.54 miles, in children, and it was higher among urban (1,250 m, 0.78 miles) than in rural participants (675 m, 0.42 miles). The threshold distance for walking to school was 1,350 m, 0.84 miles, in adolescents, and it was lower among urban (1,350 m, 0.84 miles) than in rural participants (1,550 m, 0.96 miles). Future interventions on active commuting to school should consider this threshold distance, and chances of promoting an active commuting to school could have as a goal the increase of this threshold distance.

Parental perceptions of barriers to active commuting to school in Spanish children and adolescents.

Background : Understanding parental barriers is crucial to promote active commuting to school since the parental perceptions influence how young people commute. This study examined parental barriers to active commuting to school among Spanish children and adolescents, and their association with their gender and the usual mode of commuting. Parents of children ( n = 628) and parents of adolescents ( n = 151) from Granada (Spain) completed a paper-based questionnaire about perceived parental barriers to active commuting to school and mode of commuting. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test. Among Spanish parents, the most common barriers reported by parents of children were traffic volume and dangerous intersections, whereas the most frequent barriers reported by parents of adolescents were distance to school and dangerous intersections. Compared to parents of children, a greater proportion of parents of adolescents reported distance to school and crime and smaller proportion reported traffic volume as barriers to active commuting to school. Among parents of children, crime was a more commonly reported as a barrier by parents of girls. Although some barriers reported by parents of passive commuters were similar for children and adolescents (such as distance to school and absence of a policeman at crosswalks), other barriers were specific to parents of children. The main parental barriers to active commuting in children were traffic volume and dangerous intersections whereas for adolescents were distance and dangerous intersections. Among Spanish parents, parental barriers to active commuting are influenced by childrens age, gender and mode of commuting to school.

Association of physical fitness with depression in women with fibromyalgia

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine the association between physical fitness and depressive symptoms in women with fibromyalgia (FM). We also assessed whether different fitness components present independent relationships with depressive symptoms. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING University facilities and FM associations. SUBJECTS Four hundred and forty-four patients with FM according to the 1990 American College of Rheumatology criteria. METHODS Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Physical fitness (aerobic fitness, muscle strength, flexibility, and motor agility) was assessed using the standardized Senior Fitness Test battery and the handgrip strength test. A standardized composite score for fitness was computed and divided into quintiles. RESULTS Overall, the fitness tests presented inverse associations with the total BDI-II score (P < 0.05). The patients in the highest fitness quintile had 8.4% lower depressive symptoms than the patients in the lowest fitness quintile (P = 0.014). The odds of severe symptoms of depression were between 3.7% and 16.9% lower for each performance unit in the back-scratch, handgrip, arm-curl, and eight-feet up-and-go tests. When all the fitness tests were simultaneously considered, the back-scratch test was the only one independently associated with the total BDI-II score (P = 0.001; R(2) = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS Although higher physical fitness was generally associated with lower symptoms of depression in women with FM, the observed associations were somewhat weak and inconsistent, differing from those previously observed in healthy adults. Further research to determine the clinical relevance of the association between physical fitness and depression in FM is warranted.

Convergent validation of a questionnaire to assess the mode and frequency of commuting to and from school

Aims: The purposes of this research were to study the convergent validity of the Mode and Frequency of Commuting To and From School Questionnaire using objectively assessed steps and time spent in different physical activity intensities and to compare the self-reported versus objective journey time in Spanish youths. Methods: Three hundred and eighty-nine Spanish youth aged 7–19 years were asked to complete the questionnaire and wore an accelerometer for five days. The objective commuting distance and time from home to school were estimated using Google MapsTM. Results: There were significant differences between passive and walking participants on step numbers, sedentary time and physical activity levels (except for vigorous physical activity in children). For children, a mean difference of −4.03 minutes between objective measured and self-reported journey time was found (95% limits of agreement were 13.55 and −21.60 minutes). For adolescents, the mean difference was −1.39 minutes (95% limits of agreement were 15.23 and −18.02 minutes). Conclusions: The findings indicated that the Mode of Commuting To and From School Questionnaire showed a convergent validity to assess this behaviour in Spanish youths. Self-reported journey time for walking is comparable to Google MapsTM in adolescents but not in children.

Physical fitness reference standards in fibromyalgia : The al-Ándalus project

We aimed (1) to report age‐specific physical fitness levels in people with fibromyalgia of a representative sample from Andalusia; and (2) to compare the fitness levels of people with fibromyalgia with non‐fibromyalgia controls. This cross‐sectional study included 468 (21 men) patients with fibromyalgia and 360 (55 men) controls. The fibromyalgia sample was geographically representative from southern Spain. Physical fitness was assessed with the Senior Fitness Test battery plus the handgrip test. We applied the Generalized Additive Model for Location, Scale and Shape to calculate percentile curves for women and fitted mean curves using a linear regression for men. Our results show that people with fibromyalgia reached worse performance in all fitness tests than controls (P < 0.001) in all age ranges (P < 0.001). This study provides a comprehensive description of age‐specific physical fitness levels among patients with fibromyalgia and controls in a large sample of patients with fibromyalgia from southern of Spain. Physical fitness levels of people with fibromyalgia from Andalusia are very low in comparison with age‐matched healthy controls. This information could be useful to correctly interpret physical fitness assessments and helping health care providers to identify individuals at risk for losing physical independence.

Children who commute to school unaccompanied have greater autonomy and perceptions of safety

We explored the rates of children who actively commuted to school, both accompanied and unaccompanied, and identified their safety perceptions.

Active commuting to school was inversely associated with academic achievement in primary but not secondary school students

Physical activity has numerous benefits for children when it comes to academic achievements. This study determined whether active commuting – walking or cycling – to school, as a way of increasing total physical activity levels, was associated with academic achievements in students aged seven to 18 years.

EFECTO DE LA PRECIPITACIÓN Y EL PERIODO ESTACIONAL SOBRE LOS PATRONES DE DESPLAZAMIENTO AL CENTRO EDUCATIVO EN NIÑOS Y ADOLESCENTES DE GRANADA

BACKGROUND Active commuting (walking or cycling) to school contributes to increase physical activity levels in young people. Meteorological conditions might have a remarkable influence on this behaviour. OBJECTIVE The aim is to study the impact of the rainfall and seasonality on the mode of commuting to primary school or secondary school in children and adolescents from Granada. METHODS A total of 384 students (166 children and 218 adolescents) between 8-18 years from 2 different schools (primary and secondary schools) of Granada took part in the research. Participants filled a questionnaire about their weekly pattern on the mode of commuting to school in the three seasons of the academic year. Data about the rainfall in those three weeks was obtained from the National Agency of Meteorology. The association between rainfall and seasonality with mode of commuting to school was studied by McNemar test. RESULTS No significant associations were spotted between the rainfall and the seasonality with mode of commuting in children and adolescents (p>0.05) except for: a) a positive effect of rainfall in the percentage of children who usually walked to school between a rainy day and a non-rainy day in spring (p=0.031) and b) a weak effect of the seasonality on the percentage of children and adolescents who usually walk between autumn and winter (45.8% and 37.5% walk to school) and between autumn and spring (59.7% and 56%) respectively (p=0.07). CONCLUSIONS The meteorological conditions do not seem to influence the mode of commuting to school in children and adolescents from Granada, which might indicate that this behavior keeps a constant pattern throughout the whole academic year.