Could cycling to school give children the best possible start to their day? Evidence is mounting that this may be the case.
Research has found that schoolchildren who ride to school are likely to be more physically active throughout the day, compared to peers who travel via “passive transport” such as cars.
The study focused on more than 1300 primary and secondary school age students and used diaries to record daily levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).
Students that cycled to school were understandably more active than their car-travelling peers - but remained so even after bike commuting was removed from their daily total of physical activity. In other words, cycling students were more active than their peers before, during and after school and at any extracurricular clubs.
Interestingly, on days the same students did not cycle to school, they were less likely to be as active throughout their day.
The researchers said this “supports the notion that active commuting does increase levels of MVPA at other points during the school day”.
The benefits of bike commuting don’t stop there. Other studies have shownn.
- Children who ride to school are more likely to be aerobically fit than passive transport users and therefore at reduced risk of developing chronic diseases later in life.
- Older students who took part in 10- and 30- minute activity sessions on exercise bikes reported reductions in tension, depression, anger, fatigue and confusion and improved tranquillity, suggesting even short bursts of exercise deliver psychological benefits.
- Students with non-active lifestyles and persistent fatigue reported being invigorated and less depressed after 20-minute sessions of moderate intensity cycling.
- Regular exercise has been linked to improvements in memory performance.
- Regular vigorous physical activity has been linked to improved academic performance.
That’s a fairly persuasive case for encouraging students to pump up their tyres and use pedal power to get to school.
Related reading
Smart Cycling
Seven Tips For Safe Cycling
Team Up For Big Rides
References:
Smith, AJW, McKenna Jim, Cobley SP, Radley D, Long J (2009). School Day Physical Activity Levels In Children: Active Commuting Day Vs Non-active Commuting Day. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 41(5):444
Voss C, Sandercock G (2010). Aerobic Fitness and Mode of Travel to School in English Schoolchildren. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 42(2):281-287
Tobar DA, Serene N (2007) Extraversion, Mood, and Affect Following 10 and 30 Minutes of Cycling. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 39(5):S47,
Thom N, Clementz B, Puetz T, O'Connor P, Dishman R. (2009) Acute Effects Of Cycling On Mood And Eeg In Sedentary Young Adults With Persistent Fatigue. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 41(5):298
Coe DP, Pivarnik JM, Womack CJ, Reeves MJ, Malina RM (2006). Effect of physical education and activity levels on academic achievement in children. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 38: 1515-1519.
