Active school transport among Czech adolescents declined between 2006 and 2022: HBSC study findings

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OBJECTIVES: Active school transport (AST), such as walking or cycling to and from school, represents an important source of daily physical activity for adolescents. In recent decades, however, many high-income countries have reported a steady decline in AST. The main objective of this study was to describe long-term trends in active travel to and from school among Czech adolescents aged 11, 13 and 15 years, using nationally representative data collected in five waves of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study between 2006 and 2022. METHODS: The analysis is based on a total sample of 50,813 adolescents (25,628 boys, 25,085 girls) aged 10.5-16.5 years, with valid self-reported data on travel modes to and from school. AST was defined as walking or cycling as the primary mode of transport. The prevalence of AST was analysed over time by gender and age category. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the associations between AST and survey year, gender, age group, socioeconomic status (Family Affluence Scale), and commuting time to school. RESULTS: Between 2006 and 2022, the prevalence of AST to school declined from 71.6% to 54.9% among boys and from 71.8% to 54.8% among girls. A similar trend was observed for AST from school, although participation remained consistently higher than in the morning. The strongest negative predictors of AST were longer commuting time and higher socioeconomic status. Girls had slightly lower odds of AST than boys, and older adolescents (only in fully adjusted models) were more likely to engage in AST. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term decline in AST among Czech adolescents highlights the need for targeted public health and urban planning strategies. In particular, the lower rates of AST to school suggest potential opportunities for morning-focused interventions.

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