Brief Original Report Active commuting and its associations with blood pressure and adiposity markers in children Aristides M. Machado-Rodrigues a, ⁎, Ana Santana a,1 , Augusta Gama a,1 , Isabel Mourão b , Helena Nogueira a,1 , Victor Rosado a,1 , Jorge Mota c , Cristina Padez a,1 a Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, University of Coimbra, Portugal b Research Centre in Health and Human Development, University of Tras-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal c Research Centre in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Porto, R. Dr. Plácido Costa, 91, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal abstract article info Available online 20 September 2014 Keywords: Inactivity Childhood Blood pressure Public health Active transportation Objective. The positive impacts of active travel on health markers still require further research, especially in youth populations with higher risk of obesity. The present study aimed to analyze the associations between blood pressure and adiposity risk (BPAR) and active travel to school in children. Methods. The sample comprised 665 Portuguese children (345 boys) aged 7–9 years. Data on height, weight, and skinfold thickness were collected by a trained fieldworker as well as data on BPAR between March 2009 and January 2010 (data were analyzed in 2012–2013). Information on mode and duration of travel to school (i.e. exposure) was gathered by questionnaire. Outcome variables were statistically normalized and expressed as Z scores. A BPAR score was computed as the mean of the Z scores. Multiple linear regression, with adjustments for confounders, was used. Results. Active commuting was inversely associated with BPAR after adjustment for several potential confounders. After adjusting for BMI, the strength of the relationship between BPAR and active commuting was significantly improved (p ≤ 0.01). Conclusions. Findings showed an independent association between the clustered BPAR and active commuting in children aged 7–9 years. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Introduction Active commuting, which usually means walking or cycling to school/work, could have multiple health benefits by increasing physical activity (PA) and reducing the adverse health effects of sedentary be- havior caused by, among other things, motor vehicle transport (Ding et al., 2012). Among youth, rates of active commuting to school have de- creased beside a context of declining levels of PA and increasing preva- lence of overweight (Chillon et al., 2009), which suggests that these trends are probably linked. The literature indicates that possible health benefits of active commuting to school include higher rates of PA and higher cardiovascular fitness among youth, which are linked with re- duced risk for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases (Blair et al., 2001). In the context of the increasing risk of obesity and metabolic prob- lems in southern countries of Europe, further research is needed in countries such as Portugal where data of the impact of active commut- ing in healthy variables is lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the associations between blood pressure and adiposity risk (BPAR) and active travel (e.g. walking/bicycling) to school in a sample of Portuguese children. Methods Sample The Portuguese Prevalence Study of Obesity in Childhood (PPSOC) was a random cross-sectional survey conducted between March 2009 and January 2010 (data were analyzed in 2012–2013). Details on sampling and response rates can be found elsewhere (Jago et al., 2012). A total of 17,509 2–13 year old Portuguese children were recruited among whom 665 children (345 boys) aged 7–9 years were included in the present analyses. The present study includ- ed all participants of the PPSOC of that specific age range (i.e. 7–9 years), for whom their parents have correctly provided all information for this study. Eth- ical approval for PPSOC was given by the Portuguese Commission for Data Preventive Medicine 69 (2014) 132–134 ⁎ Corresponding author at: Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade de Coimbra, Apartado 3046, 3001-401 Coimbra, Portugal. Fax: +351 239 854129. E-mail addresses: rodriguesari@hotmail.com (A.M. Machado-Rodrigues), ana_margarida_s@hotmail.com (A. Santana), augusta.gama@fc.ul.pt (A. Gama), mimc@utad.pt (I. Mourão), helenamarquesnogueira@gmail.com (H. Nogueira), vrosadomarques@gmail.com (V. Rosado), jmota@fade.up.pt (J. Mota), cpadez@antrop.uc.pt (C. Padez). 1 Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade de Coimbra, Apartado 3046, 3001-401 Coimbra. Fax: +351 239 854129. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.09.001 0091-7435/© 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Preventive Medicine journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ypmed