Adolescents’ perceptions of active school transport in northern Sweden

• Published in: Heliyon
• Main Authors: Nuru Jingili, Solomon Sunday Oyelere, Simon Malmström Berghem, Robert Brännström, Teemu H. Laine, Oluwafemi Samson Balogun
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2023
• Subjects: Active school transport; Adolescent; Physical activity; Walking; Cycling; Riding a non-motorised scooter; Science (General); Q1-390; Social sciences (General); H1-99; Northern Sweden
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20779; https://doaj.org/article/d099f29021144af79e07290deed4c333

Active school transport (AST) refers to using active means of transport such as walking, cycling, or riding a non-motorised scooter to school. It can help improve adolescents’ physical activity levels and create a more sustainable environment. The study involved 70 adolescents (45 boys and 25 girls) aged 13 to 14 from one school in Skellefteå, in Northern Sweden. In an online questionnaire, they were asked about their perceptions of cycling, walking, and riding a non-motorised scooter to school. This study used descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis, and hypothesis testing with ANOVA to analyse the collected data and compare the perceptions of different types of transport on safety, environmental, and personal factors among adolescents in Northern Sweden. According to the results, more adolescents walked to school than cycled, and significantly few rode a non-motorised scooter to school. Most adolescents believe walking or cycling to school is a great way to exercise. Furthermore, the study also revealed that many adolescents avoid using AST due to the time it takes. Although the study showed that adolescents felt sufficient support for using AST from schools and parents, the number of adolescents using motorised transport is higher during winter than in summer. Additionally, most of them were more confident about cycling and walking to school than riding a non-motorised scooter and thought using AST was nice. Finally, most adolescents perceived having complete control over their transport options when going to school. The research indicates that it is crucial to implement interventions that inspire children to be interested and excited about using AST. These strategies should include fostering an AST culture that is fun and positive, as well as creating environments that are safe and supportive. The research results will guide the creation of a persuasive game that can motivate adolescents to use AST and measure its effectiveness.