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Longitudinal associations between weather, season, and mode of commuting to school among Spanish youths

Abstract:

Aim: To study the associations of weather conditions with the travel mode choice for commuting to and from school. Methods: A total of 6979 Spanish youths aged 7 to 18 years old (80% adolescents aged 12-18 years old, 51% male) completed a 5-day survey of mode of commuting to school in autumn, winter, and spring. Weather data from the nearest weather station to each school were registered. We used Google Maps™ to calculate the distance from home to school. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to estimate odds of active travel based on weather and season. Results: We analyzed a total of 163 846 discrete journeys. In winter, children (aged 7 to 11 years old) were less likely to choose an active mode of commuting to school (OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.89, P = 0.003). In spring, adolescents were more likely to choose an active mode of commuting to school (OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.19-1.73, P < 0.001). With higher mean temperatures, adolescents were more likely to choose an active mode of commuting from school (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00-1.04, P = 0.029). Conclusion: Certain weather conditions seem to influence the travel mode choice for commuting to and from school in youth, including season and temperature.