Encouraging adolescents to choose active travel: The feasibility of a school-based intervention

Background

Active school travel, walking or biking, represents an easily accessible source of regular physical activity. Health benefits of regular walking or biking are firmly established, and high population levels of active travel contribute to reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. This study assessed the feasibility of a school-based intervention designed to enhance active school travel by increasing health literacy and autonomous motivation towards active travel.

Methods

A co-creation methodology was applied to develop the intervention based on self-determination theory, student-active learning and curriculum elements in science, social science, and physical education. The intervention was delivered as six weekly sessions by teachers at four lower secondary schools (13 classes, 191 students) in a Norwegian municipality during fall 2023. Data were collected via questionnaires pre- and post-intervention, school implementation logs, and interviews with teachers (n = 9) and students (n = 19).

Results

Intervention fidelity was relatively high in terms of delivered dose, but moderate in terms of frequency. The students found the intervention acceptable and engaged in the intervention. However, both students and teachers preferred a more intensive intervention to enhance learning and gain a more holistic understanding of the behavioral change aims. Results from latent change score (LCS) models showed that increases in health literacy and autonomous motivation pre-post positively predicted intentions for active travel at post-test (bs = 0.27-0.42), whereas only increases in autonomous motivation predicted higher levels of self-reported active travel at post-test (b = 0.19).

Conclusions

The intervention was considered feasible given that key modifications are made related to duration and holistic understanding. The LCS model results provide initial support for health literacy and autonomous motivation as potential mediators of the intervention effects.

Key messages

• A curriculum reform in Norway paved the way for an intervention on the benefits of active travel delivered by teachers during lessons related to competence aims on public health and life skills.

• This study contributes with knowledge on how lower secondary schools can contribute to public health by enhancing both autonomous motivation and health literacy for active school travels.