School Environment Associated With Physical Education Class and Active Commuting Among Adolescents From an Amazonian...

Identifying the factors that may influence adolescent physical activity behaviors is essential for designing targeted interventions. This study investigated the associations between school environment characteristics and participation in physical education (PE) classes and active commuting to school.

A cross-sectional multilevel study was conducted with 1719 adolescents (14-19 y, 49% female) from 46 schools (28 public) in Belém, a Brazilian Amazonian capital. Self-reported time spent in PE classes and active commuting was collected via questionnaire. School environment data were obtained through principal surveys and on-site observation. Zero-inflated negative binomial hierarchical models, adjusted for individual and school covariates, were used to estimate the associations.

In the logit component (estimating 0-min participation), more PE teachers (odds ratios [OR] = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.71-0.87), usable locker rooms (OR = 0.66; 95% CI, 0.54-0.83), and school accessibility (OR = 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54-0.86) reduced the odds of no PE participation. In the count component (time spent), sidewalks (rate ratios = 1.13; 95% CI, 1.01-1.26) and bike racks (rate ratios = 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02-1.26) were associated with greater commuting time among active commuters, whereas speed bumps were associated with lower odds of no commuting (OR = 0.59; 95% CI, 0.43-0.81). Subgroup analyses revealed that sidewalks and bike racks were particularly associated with commuting behaviors in peripheral districts, whereas pedestrian crossings and speed-limit signs showed associations in central areas.

Better school infrastructure is associated with lower reported nonparticipation in PE classes in this Amazonian setting. Active commuting patterns, however, emerged as a more complex behavior, reflecting interactions between urban infrastructure and socioeconomic conditions.