The role of urban form and parental cognition on their preferences to children’s active transportation on school trips

Prevention of non-communicable diseases is dependent on control of risk factors such as low activity. Active transport to school offers opportunities to have minimum physical activity to prevent non-communicable diseases. This study aims to investigate the relationship between parental preferences for their children to use active transport in school trips, in relation to urban form and parental cognition, as well as socioeconomic variables. 580 questionnaires were distributed among children aged 7 to 12 in Tehran. Each questionnaire was completed by parents and children. Structural equation modeling showed that at 5% significance level, child’s age (β = -0.135) and number of children in household (β = -0.088) had a negative correlation with parental worry regarding children’s active transport. Parental worry was shown to be higher for girls than boys (β = -0.160). Household income was negatively associated with parental preferences to use active transport (β = -0.086). Among variables of the urban form, distance between home and school was positively related with parental worry (β = 0.148) and negatively related with parental preferences (β = -0.127). Results indicated that parental worry was positively correlated with population density (β = 0.128) and streets connectivity (β = 0.216). Land use mix was also positively correlated with parental preferences (β = 0.090). Parental worry was shown to be negatively associated with parental preferences for children to use active modes to school (β = -0.204). The results have been scrutinized and the implications for enhancing active transport have been discussed.