Ruas Ativas à Volta das Escolas

The specific aims of this project are to: i) update evidence on IM rates in children and youth in Portugal (10 years after our first study) by carrying out a nationally representative survey ii) identify the factors that promote or hinder children’s AT and IM at a local level in the school neighborhood, in high and low clusters of IM and across territories with different urbanization degree through a participatory mapping methodology iii) develop an intervention to promote walking and cycling to school from an early age, involving end users (co-development with children and parents) to be implemented and tested as a (clustered RCT) at local level, aiming at teaching primary school children how to walk and cycle safely to school (increasing their road safety and cycling skills) iv) positively influence the 24h-movement behavior of children that participate in the intervention, by increasing their PA levels during the day, reducing sedentary behavior and improving sleep time (objectively measured) v) positively influence the behavioral and emotional wellbeing of children that participate in the intervention, assessed by teacher reports (SDQ questionnaire) vi) involve children and parents as co-participants in the co-design of suggestions to increase the opportunities of AT and IM, identifying positive and negative features of the environment, which promote or hinder a healthy walking or cycling experience vii) produce and disseminate high quality resources for the benefits of walking and cycling and advocating AT as a sustainable, accessible, and socially equitable, health-promoting transport mode, with different stakeholders: municipalities’ urban planners, public health specialists, and general public and communities, allowing the future scaling up of the intervention at national level. The macro-level horizontal objectives are: i) ASAS urgent need to increase PA for children’s health – using walking or cycling for transport significantly improves child health and wellbeing and is an effective mechanism to tackle the high prevalence of inactivity and obesity; ii) ASAS as a meaningful facilitator of inclusion and diversity – walking and cycling are convenient and affordable modes of transport, having the potential to reach children who may be less receptive to participate in sports and exercise, or cannot afford paying for it; iii) ASAS as a response to sustainability - active mobility is aligned with SDGs 3, 11 and 13. We will also emphasize the reduction of CO2 emissions cause of active transport when delivering the training, enhancing children’s environmental consciousness; iv) ASAS contribution to the implementation of EU Work Plan for Sport – the promotion of active travel contributes to the priority of ‘Promotion of participation in sport and health-enhancing physical activity’, also addressing the ‘green sport’ objective by educating the children on environmental matters; v) ASAS contribution to the EU Council Recommendation on promoting health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) across sectors– promoting active travel addresses the HEPA recommendations involving various areas including sports, education, environment and transport. AT positively impacts children’s PA and road awareness and road safety, promotes environmental knowledge about travelling routes, reduces motorized traffic and associated air and noise pollution, and foster children’s and parents’ participation on the issues of mobility, public space and urban planning