An international study led by the University of Granada has analysed the differences in the daily commute to school of children and young people from Easter Island compared to those from Valparaíso (mainland Chile)
The children and young people living on Chile’s Easter Island are more active in their daily commute to school, by walking or cycling, than their counterparts in mainland Chile. This is the finding of an international study led by the University of Granada (UGR) and conducted on Easter Island, the most remote community in the Spanish-speaking world, with an ancestral culture.
Palma Chillón of the UGR’s Faculty of Sport Sciences directed the study (which was recently published in the journal PLoS ONE), together with Chilean and Spanish researchers. The aim of the research was to understand whether the cultural framework and the context of this island may influence the fact that young people commute to school by walking or cycling (“active displacements”) as opposed to using some form of motorised vehicle (“passive displacement”).
To investigate this issue, 666 Chilean children and adolescents aged 10 –18 (208 of whom lived on Easter Island and 458 in the mainland city of Valparaíso) were surveyed. They were asked to complete a questionnaire covering socio-demographic data, the mode by which they commuted to school, and the distance and duration of the journey.
The results showed that the young people of Easter Island are more active than those of Valparaíso—that is, more islanders make the commute by means of active displacement such as walking or cycling. This is the case both on the way to school (29% of islanders vs. 18% of mainland children) and on the way back (62% vs. 25%, respectively). Notably, the use of bicycles is zero in Valparaiso and around 11% on Easter Island.
While, overall, the most common mode of travel is by car, its use is greater among young people from Valparaíso (69% and 38% for the round trip to school) than among those living on Easter Island (56% and 36% for the round trip).
Differences in the outward and return journeys
Interestingly, many of the young people who commute to school by car in the morning then walk back home—that is, there are variations in the manner in which they make the round trip. It appears that the return trip is the easiest time to be active, perhaps because there is less family stress and more time available compared to the morning commute.
To investigate these differences, the researchers analysed the distance and duration of the commute from home to school, and observed that the young people living on Easter Island covered shorter distances and took less time than their Valparaíso counterparts, as they live closer to school.
“This contextual factor, the proximity to school, is one of the characteristics that makes it possible to practice active habits when commuting to school and thus avoid passive displacement, which is less healthy. There is also the cultural factor, which differs notably between the ancestral Rapa Nui culture of Easter Island and that of the Chilean mainland,” explains Dr. Chillón.
The means by which young people commute to school is a multifactorial habit, in which geography and culture both play relevant roles. It is therefore helpful to conduct studies of this type in unfamiliar contexts, as they provide data that can be used to inform public health policies aimed at the young.
Image caption:
Palma Chillón, researcher at the Faculty of Sport Sciences (UGR) during her visit to Easter Island, where this study was undertaken.
Bibliography:
Rodríguez-Rodríguez F, Pakomio Jara O, Kuthe NM, Herrador-Colmenero M, Ramírez-Vélez R, Chillón P (2019) Influence of distance, area, and cultural context in active commuting: Continental and insular children. PLoS ONE 14 (3): e0213159.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213159
Media enquiries:
Dr. Palma Chillón Garzón
Department of Physical Education and Sports
Tel .: +34 958 244374
Email: pchillon@ugr.es
