20 May Stronger Data for Healthier Children and Adolescents: A Look at Global Active Transportation surveillance

Posted at 14:17h in Publications, Research by
0 Likes

Active transportation (AT) — walking, cycling, and other non-motorized ways children get from place to place — is one of the most accessible tools we have to keep kids moving. But how well do we actually measure it globally? This new open-access paper published in the Journal of Transport & Health takes a hard look at this question.

What the study examined

Led by Pablo Campos-Garzón and colleagues, the study reviewed active transportation data from all 57 countries and jurisdictions that participated in the Global Matrix 4.0 (GM4.0) on physical activity for children and adolescents. The team systematically analyzed the data sources, measurement instruments, destinations, and psychometric properties behind the AT grades assigned in each Report Card, drawing on data from more than five million children and adolescents worldwide.

What they found

While most countries fell in the mid-range for AT grades (between C− and B+), the data behind those grades varied enormously:

  • Two-thirds of countries assessed active transportation only to and from school, leaving out trips to parks, shops, friends’ homes, and other everyday destinations.
  • The vast majority of instruments used a single self-report item, either asking about the usual mode of transport (44%) or frequency of travel (34%).
  • Fewer than 10% of data sources reported any evidence of validity or reliability for the items used.

Similar methodological limitations were found across high-, middle-, and lower-income countries, pointing to a systemic absence of standardized surveillance frameworks.

Why this matters

Without consistent, validated measurement, it is difficult to track progress over time, compare countries meaningfully, evaluate policy interventions, or identify the children and communities most in need of support. As the authors note, even small differences in question wording or recall structure can substantially alter reported AT rates, with real consequences for global benchmarking.

Future perspectives

The study calls for two complementary actions: strengthening the psychometric evidence base for existing AT instruments, and developing a short, harmonized core set of AT indicators through an international Delphi consensus process. Such a process — bringing together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from diverse income groups and regions — could reduce methodological variability while preserving the contextual flexibility needed for globally adaptable surveillance.

Reference

Campos-Garzón P, Koen L, Aubert S, Sarmiento OL, Tremblay MS, Larouche R. Active transportation surveillance in children and adolescents: a global review using Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance Global Matrix 4.0 data. Journal of Transport & Health. 2026;49:102341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2026.102341 (Open access)