Half of Dunedin high school pupils are driven to and from school, while 30% walk and just 1.5% ride a bicycle, the latest results from the Beats Study show. When asked how they perceived walking or cycling routes to school, pupils raised concerns about too much traffic, too many hills, a boring route and dangerous crossings on their way to school. The multidisciplinary study, which focuses on the ‘‘built environment and active transport to school’’ (Beats), has surveyed the physical activity, transportation and health status of 1800 Dunedin high school pupils during the past three years. It was interesting to discover why some pupils were driven to school, some walked and others cycled, Dr Mandic said. The results covered a broad range of topics, including transport to school, perceptions of cycling versus walking, perceptions of routes to school and who makes the decisions.

Source: Otago Daily Times August 06, 2016 18:00 UTC