Are people who use active modes of transportation more physically active? An overview of reviews across the life course

Regular physical activity prevents several non-communicable chronic conditions and premature mortality. The benefits of physical activity can be achieved through active transport, which refers to non-motorised/active means (e.g. walking, cycling, rollerblading) to move from one place to another. Active transport can be integrated into daily routines such as commuting to and from school and work. We undertook an overview of reviews to examine the association between active transport and physical activity across age groups. We aimed to provide a critical appraisal of research to date, and to identify research gaps that need to be addressed to advance the field. Eleven systematic reviews were included. Across children, youth and adults, active transport (mainly to school and work) was positively associated with physical activity and contributed approximately 5–45 additional minutes per day. The certainty of the evidence ranged from very low to moderate and was highest among studies that included both children and youth. There does not appear to be any clear differences by sex, measurement method for active transport or physical activity or review quality; however, some reviews noted that age and sex might moderate the association. Future research is needed to better understand the association among preschool-aged children and older adults, by sex and gender, in different socioeconomic and ethnic groups, and across the urban-rural spectrum. The field would benefit from more longitudinal and experimental research using device- and location-based measures to establish causality and separating location of destinations and mode of active transport (e.g. walking separate from cycling). Overall, evidence suggests that active transport is an important means to achieve daily physical activity recommendations.