Active mobility, physical activity and health in school children
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37951/2674-9181.2025v7i1.8866Keywords:
Active commuting, Active transportation, Adolescent, Physical activityAbstract
Background: Active mobility, particularly walking and cycling to school, represents an important opportunity to increase daily physical activity among children and adolescents. In addition to its potential contribution to physical health, active commuting may support psychosocial development, autonomy, and healthier lifestyle behaviors. However, its adoption depends on individual, social, environmental, and policy-related factors, especially in countries marked by urban and regional inequalities. Objective: To synthesize evidence on the relationship between active mobility, physical activity, and health among schoolchildren, with emphasis on the challenges and opportunities associated with urban infrastructure and public policies. Methods: This integrative review was conducted using the PubMed database in June 2024. Search terms were selected based on Health Sciences Descriptors and Medical Subject Headings terminology and combined using Boolean operators. Studies published between 2010 and 2024 were considered eligible when they addressed active mobility, active commuting, physical activity, health-related outcomes, environmental determinants, or public policies among children and adolescents. After screening 105 records, 12 studies were included in the final narrative synthesis. Results: The included studies indicate that active mobility is associated with higher levels of physical activity and may contribute to improved physical fitness, healthier body weight, motor development, autonomy, and social well-being among schoolchildren. However, adherence to active commuting is strongly influenced by contextual factors, including distance between home and school, parental perceptions of safety, traffic conditions, school infrastructure, and availability of sidewalks and bike lanes. Evidence also suggests that public policies and school-based initiatives can promote active mobility, although barriers remain more pronounced in peripheral, rural, and socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. Conclusion: Active mobility is a promising strategy to promote physical activity and health among children and adolescents. Nevertheless, its implementation requires more than individual behavioral encouragement. Safe infrastructure, supportive school environments, family engagement, and intersectoral public policies are essential to make active commuting a feasible, equitable, and sustainable practice.
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