Artículo de revista
Association between habitual school travel and muscular fitness in youth
Fecha
2014-10Autor
Cohen, Daniel Dylan
Ogunleye, Ayodele A.
Taylor, Matthew J.
Voss, Christine
Micklewright, Dominic
Sandercock, Gavin R.H.
Institución
Resumen
Objective
To determine whether active school travel is associated with muscular fitness, which is an emerging marker of youth health.
Methods
Handgrip strength, vertical jump and vertical jump peak power were measured in n = 6829 English schoolchildren (53% males, age 12.9 ± 1.2 years) between 2007 and 2011. Participants were grouped according to self-reported habitual school travel modality.
Results
Cyclists had greater handgrip strength than passive travelers. Vertical jump height was greater in walkers and cyclists compared with passive travelers. Jump peak power was also higher in walkers than in the passive travel group. Compared with passive travelers, cyclists had a higher (age, sex and BMI-adjusted) likelihood of good handgrip strength (OR 1.42, 95%CI;1.14–1.76) and walkers were more likely to have good measures for vertical jump peak power (OR 1.14, 95%CI;1.00–1.29). Cyclists' likelihood of having good handgrip strength remained significantly higher when adjusted for physical activity (OR 1.29, 95%CI;1.08–1.46).
Conclusion
Muscular fitness differs according to school travel habits. Cycling is independently associated with better handgrip strength perhaps due to the physical demands of the activity. Better muscular fitness may provide another health-related reason to encourage active school travel.