The patterns of active commuting to school change along the school-life in spanish youth

This study describes rates of active commuting to school (ACS) among Spanish school students and examines differences in ACS between different and consecutive educational levels, educational stages and school grades, within the Spanish educational system. Data were obtained from 28 cross-sectional studies conducted across Spain in 2010-2017. The analytical sample comprised 42,074 participants; namely, 5,327 children aged 3-5.99 years old (48% girls), 18,329 children aged 6-11.99 years old (50% girls) and 18,438 adolescents aged 12-18 years old (49% girls). Compared to pre-primary education, those in primary education (Odss ratio (OR)= 1.29, p < 0.01), compulsory secondary education (OR= 1.36, p < 0.01) and upper secondary education (OR= 1.38, p < 0.01) had higher odds of ACS. Additionally, compared to primary education, those in compulsory secondary education had higher odds of ACS (OR= 1.05, p < 0.01). Adolescents attending 1° grade of compulsory secondary education had higher odds of ACS than their counterparts attending to 6° grade of primary education (OR= 1.16, p < 0.05); no other associations between consecutive school grades within and between educational stages were found (all, p > 0.05). This study suggests significant shifts in ACS over the transition from pre-primary education to primary education and from primary education to compulsory secondary education. Educational and policy strategies are important to continue promoting active travel behaviors to school since the first educational stage in youth people.