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Article
Peer-Review Record

Objective Measurement of the Mode of Commuting to School Using GPS: A Pilot Study

Sustainability 2019, 11(19), 5395; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195395
by Emilio Villa-González 1,*, Sergio Rosado-López 2, Yaira Barranco-Ruiz 1, Manuel Herrador-Colmenero 2, Cristina Cadenas-Sánchez 2, Maria Paula Santos 3 and Palma Chillón 2
Reviewer 1:
Reviewer 2: Anonymous
Reviewer 3: Anonymous
Sustainability 2019, 11(19), 5395; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195395
Submission received: 22 August 2019 / Revised: 24 September 2019 / Accepted: 24 September 2019 / Published: 29 September 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of New Technologies in Promoting Healthy Lifestyles)

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The manuscript clearly describes a worldwide issue,  that is, physical  activity  levels  of  the adolescents are currently insufficient to promote psychological and physical fitness. In literature there are different approaches to promote physical activity in youth, including Active commuting to school; however, few studies quantified the mode of  commuting to school, as well as the health impact of this behaviour. Although some limitations (e.g. GPS signal and sample size), this  is  one  of  the  first  studies  that used  objective  methods  to  classify  trip  modes  in home-school trips in a sample of Spanish adolescents. Through appropriate methods and techniques, the authors have provided important conclusions highlighting the  role  that  the  trip  to/from  school  may  have  in  youth  to  reach  the  recommended PA levels according guidelines and accomplishing health benefits.

I have some suggestions to make to improve the manuscript.

Abstract

Advice: to optimize the search of the manuscript on search engines, insert keywords other than the words present in the title (e.g. remove the word GPS).

Introduction

I recommend using the “active voice” to make reading smoother and more enjoyable. For example, the sentence contained in lines 36-38 should be replaced with: “Different epidemiological studies have supported the positive effects of active commuting to increase the PA levels in young and  adult populations”.  

Materials & Methods

The procedures, methods and statistical techniques used are appropriate.

Results

-Page 5, lines 218-219: Insert the unit of measure of BMI, i.e. kg / m2

-Page 5, lines 226-227 and 230-231: The unit of measure of time (min) must be indicated first (e.g., total time (min) or MVPA (min)) or written after the numerical coefficient (i.e., mixed transport = 35.6 ± 28.8 min). It is important to make uniform the text.

-Page 6, below Table 1: Replace “P-value set in p <0.05” with “P-value set at p <0.05”.

-Why does the Odds Ratio and the 95% confidence intervals presented from lines 248 to 250 not coincide with the values shown in Figure 3? If another statistical technique was used (for example, a control of one or more variables) specify it in the text when you present figure 1.

Discussion & Conclusions

-Results were interpreted appropriately in the discussion section and the work provide an advance towards the current knowledge.

-Conclusions are supported by the results.

Author Response

Reviewer 1

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript clearly describes a worldwide issue, that is, physical  activity  levels  of  the adolescents are currently insufficient to promote psychological and physical fitness. In literature there are different approaches to promote physical activity in youth, including Active commuting to school; however, few studies quantified the mode of  commuting to school, as well as the health impact of this behaviour. Although some limitations (e.g. GPS signal and sample size), this  is  one  of  the  first  studies  that used  objective  methods  to  classify  trip  modes  in home-school trips in a sample of Spanish adolescents. Through appropriate methods and techniques, the authors have provided important conclusions highlighting the  role  that  the  trip  to/from  school  may  have  in  youth  to  reach  the  recommended PA levels according guidelines and accomplishing health benefits.

I have some suggestions to make to improve the manuscript.

Abstract

Advice: to optimize the search of the manuscript on search engines, insert keywords other than the words present in the title (e.g. remove the word GPS).

Thank you for your advice, the word has been replaced.

Introduction

I recommend using the “active voice” to make reading smoother and more enjoyable. For example, the sentence contained in lines 36-38 should be replaced with: “Different epidemiological studies have supported the positive effects of active commuting to increase the PA levels in young and  adult populations”. 

 

Author’s answer

Thank you for your recommendation, the sentence has been replaced.

Materials & Methods

The procedures, methods and statistical techniques used are appropriate.

Thank you so much for your comment.

Results

-Page 5, lines 218-219: Insert the unit of measure of BMI, i.e. kg / m2

-Page 5, lines 226-227 and 230-231: The unit of measure of time (min) must be indicated first (e.g., total time (min) or MVPA (min)) or written after the numerical coefficient (i.e., mixed transport = 35.6 ± 28.8 min). It is important to make uniform the text.

Thank you for your suggestion, the units of measure have been described in methodology and included after numerical results.

-Page 6, below Table 1: Replace “P-value set in p <0.05” with “P-value set at p <0.05”.

Thank you for your suggestion, the grammatical mistake has been corrected.

-Why does the Odds Ratio and the 95% confidence intervals presented from lines 248 to 250 not coincide with the values shown in Figure 3? If another statistical technique was used (for example, a control of one or more variables) specify it in the text when you present figure 1.

It was a mistake in the figure since the data into the text are correct. We have revised and changed the figure 3.

Discussion & Conclusions

-Results were interpreted appropriately in the discussion section and the work provide an advance towards the current knowledge.

-Conclusions are supported by the results.

All authors kindly appreciate your comments.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

 

Reviewer 2 Report

The article presents a very original and especially detailed study in terms of statistical treatment and objectivity in terms of the use of methods such as GPS, the contribution being original at the Spanish level. Perhaps, warning of a very rigorous work, the only drawback lies in the size of the sample that does not cease to be very poor. In any case, I strongly recommend the publication of this article for its rigour in the treatment, correction and simplicity in the configuration of the theoretical framework and thematic novelty.

 

Author Response

Reviewer 2

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article presents a very original and especially detailed study in terms of statistical treatment and objectivity in terms of the use of methods such as GPS, the contribution being original at the Spanish level. Perhaps, warning of a very rigorous work, the only drawback lies in the size of the sample that does not cease to be very poor. In any case, I strongly recommend the publication of this article for its rigour in the treatment, correction and simplicity in the configuration of the theoretical framework and thematic novelty.

All authors kindly appreciate your comments.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

 

Reviewer 3 Report

The topic of the manuscript falls within the scope of the Journal. This study analyzed 1) the mode of commuting to school using GPS; 2) the sedentary time, physical activity (PA) levels, energy expenditure and steps derived from each mode of commuting; and 3) the associations between active commuting to school trips and sedentary time, PA energy expenditure and steps. The sample size consisted of a group of 20 adolescents (12 girls and 8 boys, mean age 15±0.0 years old). It seems that the study was conducted in the proper way (the detailed methodology is provided). Results showed that walking was the main mode of commuting to and from school as well as the mode with the largest amount of MVPA (54.5%). Furthermore, during active trips, there were less likely to spend minutes in sedentary behaviours, a higher increase in METs and a greater number of steps than during passive trips. Despite many strengths, the article has also some weak points (corrections to text editing) which need to be improved in order to be published. These issues are presented below.

Page 1, line 18: I suggest to change “Materials and Methods” to “Participants and Methods”, while your research group is a group of people.

Page 1, lines 18-22: Please, add some information about the participants (your sample size) in the abstract.

Page 1, line 19: What does PALMS system stand for? Please, add a full name for it.

Page 1, line 25: What does METs stand for? Please, add a full name as well.

Page 1, lines 27-28: “…GPS could be an appropriate method to evaluate this behaviour”. What kind of behaviour? Please, try to be more clear.

Page 1, line 34: Please, use only an abbreviation of physical activity – “PA”, because you have already introduced the abbreviation in the abstract.

Page 3, line 39: Please, use only an abbreviation of active commuting to school – “ACS”, because you have already introduced the abbreviation in the abstract.

Page 2, lines 59-62: Based on the aim, did the Authors generate any official hypotheses for this work? If so, it will be helpful to include in the introduction.

Page 2, line 63: I suggest to change the name of the section “Materials and Methods” to “Participants and Methods”, while your research group is a group of people.

Page 3, line 121: It will be good to add to Figure 1 the information about the total of 180 trips and also the information about the excluded 65 trips collected from participants.

Page 4, line 169: Please, delete “physical activity” and use only the abbreviation – “PA”.

 

Author Response

Reviewer 3

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The topic of the manuscript falls within the scope of the Journal. This study analyzed 1) the mode of commuting to school using GPS; 2) the sedentary time, physical activity (PA) levels, energy expenditure and steps derived from each mode of commuting; and 3) the associations between active commuting to school trips and sedentary time, PA energy expenditure and steps. The sample size consisted of a group of 20 adolescents (12 girls and 8 boys, mean age 15±0.0 years old). It seems that the study was conducted in the proper way (the detailed methodology is provided). Results showed that walking was the main mode of commuting to and from school as well as the mode with the largest amount of MVPA (54.5%). Furthermore, during active trips, there were less likely to spend minutes in sedentary behaviours, a higher increase in METs and a greater number of steps than during passive trips. Despite many strengths, the article has also some weak points (corrections to text editing) which need to be improved in order to be published. These issues are presented below.

Page 1, line 18: I suggest to change “Materials and Methods” to “Participants and Methods”, while your research group is a group of people.

Thank you for your suggestion, the change has been done.

Page 1, lines 18-22: Please, add some information about the participants (your sample size) in the abstract.

Thank you very much for your comment, the information has been included.

Page 1, line 19: What does PALMS system stand for? Please, add a full name for it.

Thank you very much for your comment, the information has been included.

Page 1, line 25: What does METs stand for? Please, add a full name as well.

Thank you very much for your comment, the description has been included.

Page 1, lines 27-28: “…GPS could be an appropriate method to evaluate this behaviour”. What kind of behaviour? Please, try to be more clear.

We kindly appreciate your suggestion and the sentence has been clarified.

Page 1, line 34: Please, use only an abbreviation of physical activity – “PA”, because you have already introduced the abbreviation in the abstract.

Thank you for your suggestion, the abbreviation has been mainly used along the entire manuscript.

Page 3, line 39: Please, use only an abbreviation of active commuting to school – “ACS”, because you have already introduced the abbreviation in the abstract.

Thank you for your suggestion, the abbreviation has been mainly used along the entire manuscript.

Page 2, lines 59-62: Based on the aim, did the Authors generate any official hypotheses for this work? If so, it will be helpful to include in the introduction.

Thank you for this point. We have included the following hypotheses in the main text.

Our main hypothesis was that a GPS could be a suitable method to objectively evaluate ACS trips.

Page 2, line 63: I suggest to change the name of the section “Materials and Methods” to “Participants and Methods”, while your research group is a group of people.

Thank you for your suggestion, the change has been done.

Page 3, line 121: It will be good to add to Figure 1 the information about the total of 180 trips and also the information about the excluded 65 trips collected from participants.

Great suggestion, these changes have been done.

Page 4, line 169: Please, delete “physical activity” and use only the abbreviation – “PA”.

Thank you for your suggestion, the abbreviation has been mainly used along the entire manuscript.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

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