How the built environment characteristics shape parents’ perception of active commuting normsShow others and affiliations
2026 (English)In: Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, ISSN 1361-9209, E-ISSN 1879-2340, Vol. 157, article id 105406Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Active commuting to school (ACS) is a promising strategy to increase physical activity among adolescents. While characteristics of the built environment influence commuting behaviors, they may also shape parents’ perceptions of social norms related to ACS. This study analyses how subjective and objective built environment characteristics, at both micro- and macro-scale, are associated with parents’ perceptions of the social norm. When the built environment was considered as whole in a multivariable model, only the density of sports facilities (a macro-scale measure) was linked to parents’ perception of social norms, while subjective and micro-scale characteristics were not. These findings imply that environments with visible opportunities for physical activity, such as sports facilities, may shape parental perceptions of ACS as normative behavior. The presence and design of such facilities could be considered in planning, with macro-scale variables emerging as the most informative measure capturing associations with the social norm.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier Ltd , 2026. Vol. 157, article id 105406
National Category
Public Health, Global Health and Social Medicine
Research subject
Physiotherapy and Health Promotion
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-117568DOI: 10.1016/j.trd.2026.105406Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105038212321OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ltu-117568DiVA, id: diva2:2061651
Funder
Forte, Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, 2024–02058
Note
Full text license: CC BY
2026-05-212026-05-212026-05-21Bibliographically approved