Children's active transport and independent mobility in the urban environment

This chapter examines social and physical environmental predictors of children's unsupervised active travel and outdoor play in urban neighbourhoods. Interventions and strategies aimed at promoting walking and cycling to school and local places are described, along with implications for urban planning and policy. Declines in children's active transport and independent mobility are of public health concern because both behaviours are potential sources of habitual physical activity for which health benefits include reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers. To understand why children engage in low levels of active transport and lack independent mobility it is important to identify predictors of these behaviours. A systematic review of interventions that aimed to promote active transport to school demonstrated that those which engaged schools, parents and local communities concurrently showed potential in increasing rates of active transport.