Distância no percurso entre a residência e a instituição de ensino e aspectos biopsicossociais associados ao transporte ativo para a escola em adolescentes

Abstract

Active transportation to school is a promising alternative for incorporating physical activity into adolescents' routines. In the initial investigation of studies on the subject, a scoping review was carried out with the aim of mapping scientific production on the prevalence of inactive transportation to school among adolescents in Brazil. A scoping review was conducted between November and December 2023, using the standards established by the Joanna Briggs Institute. The search was carried out in the electronic databases PubMed, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde and Periódicos CAPES. Articles in Portuguese, English and Spanish were used. Fourteen articles that met the inclusion criteria were included. Although the prevalence of inactive transportation to school varied between 17% and 88% - both values found in the southern region of Brazil - most of the articles indicated that a significant number of adolescents adopt this behavior. The second article aimed to analyze the association between active transportation to school, distance between home and school and biopsychosocial factors among adolescents. It was a cross-sectional study carried out with adolescents of both sexes who were state school students, regularly enrolled in the first year of high school in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Data collection for the cross-sectional stage took place between September 2022 and September 2023. Data was collected using a selfadministered questionnaire made up of instruments covering the different dimensions: sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions and habits, and physical activity. The students' anthropometric measurements (weight, height and waist circumference) were also taken. The dependent variable in this study was active transportation to school. The distance from home to school was estimated using the Geographic Information System. Binary Logistic Regression was used to analyze the data, assuming a significance level of p<0.05. A total of 1,616 adolescents took part in the study. With regard to transportation to school, 66.6% of adolescents were found to use active transportation. Added to this was the distance in kilometers from home to school, where 31.3% of adolescents traveled at least three kilometers. There was a greater chance of active transportation among male adolescents (OR=1.69), those who studied at night (OR=2.45), with an average family income of R$3,383.06 (OR=1.65), and whose family did not own a car and/or motorcycle (OR=1.99). There is a significant number of adolescents who do not adopt this behavior. Therefore, a more in-depth analysis could shed light on this behavior and support strategies to maximize health benefits and quality of life.