Strategies and effects of promising school-based interventions to promote active school transportation by bicycle among children and adolescents: protocol for a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Active school travel by bike may provide appropriate means to promote physical activity through commuting to and from school, expanding the mobility during leisure time, and integrating a lifelong positive behavior routine. However, bicycling seems to be a less common form of active school transport and declining cycling to school trends in some European countries have been observed. Therefore, effective interventions aiming at promoting biking to school are warranted. To gain a better understanding of effective programs, the systematic review will summarize strategies and effects of school-based interventions targeted on positively influencing active school travel by bicycle. METHODS: The databases ERIC, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX, PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, SURF, and Web of Science will be searched utilizing a detailed search strategy according to “PICo”. Consequently, there will be no restriction regarding the outcomes measured in studies. For inclusion in the review, the identified primary studies (i.e. randomized and non-randomized controlled trials) should be published between 2000 and 2019 due to their current relevance, and written in English. The screening, data extraction, and appraisal of study quality as well as behavior change techniques will be undertaken by two independent researchers. To assess the methodological quality of every included study, the quality assessment tool “Effective Public Health Practice Project” for quantitative studies will be used. Behavior change techniques will be identified by utilizing the “BCT Taxonomy v1”. If data permits, meta-analyses for intervention effects will be conducted where appropriate. DISCUSSION: The planned systematic review can provide information about how bicycling is considered in school-based interventions as an effective strategy to promote active commuting to school among students. In this regard, the conclusions drawn from the review will establish a basis for researchers to plan and implement a comprehensive cycling intervention in the school setting. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPEROCRD42019125192