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Completed

NCT Number: NCT00186134

Walk to School and Physical Activity

The purpose of the proposed study is to determine the effect of walking to school for one week on total physical activity and patterns of physical activity in third, fourth and fifth grade students.

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Key information

Conditions

Physical Activity Behavior Motor Activity

Age range

8 year–11 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

Primary location

Stanford University School of Medicine

Stanford, California, 94305, United States

About this study

Increasing children's physical activity has become an important public health concern. Active transportation (walking and bicycling) is one aspect of children's physical activity that has received little attention but may provide a means of increasing children's activity levels. Traveling to school is a common activity for most children in the United States. Due to this regularity, active transportation to school provides a possible way to incorporate an increase in children's moderate-to-vigorous physical activity into a routine activity.

Several "walk to school" programs have been implemented but it is not known if the physical activity levels of children walking to school are greater than those that get chauffeured or bused. Theoretically, moderate intensity activity should be greater in the walkers compared to others. This difference should be in proportion to the duration of the walk to and from school; determined by how far the child lives from the school. However, more activity in the morning may have an impact on activity levels later in the day. Therefore, differences in daily activity patterns in addition to total activity need to be considered.

Comparison(s): Following a baseline week, the physical activity of students randomized to a Walk to School group will be compared to those randomized to a Control group, who will continue to be driven to school.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade at participating school

Exclusion criteria

  • Currently walking or bicycling to school at least 4 times per week
  • Physical or mental disability that would prevent walking to school under adult supervision.

Treatment and study plan

Physical activity

Behavioral

Primary outcomes

  1. Accelerometer derived average minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day.

  2. Accelerometer derived average counts per minute per day.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Accelerometer derived average minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity before, during, and after school and in the evening.

  2. Accelerometer derived average counts per minute per day before, during, and after school and in the evening.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Stanford University

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2004
Study completion
2005
First posted
Sep 16, 2005
Registry last updated
Sep 16, 2005

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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