Children’s right to the city and their independent mobility

Why it matters for public health

Bibliographic Data

ID11173315
AuthorsKatherine L Frohlich (0000-0002-5519-2455, Université de Montréal, corresponding author), Peter A Collins (0000-0003-0009-736X, Queen's University), Patricia A Collins (Queen's University)
Year2024
Volume78
Issue1
Pages66-68
Publication date2024-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0143-005X • E-ISSN: 1470-2738
PublisherBMJ (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1136/jech-2023-221067
PMID37536920
OpenAlexW4385542285
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited16

Automobile-centric community design, or ‘motornormativity’, severely restricts opportunities for children to engage in active transportation (AT) and outdoor free play (OFP). As these activities are critical to children’s health and well-being, their decline has become a major public health concern. Meanwhile, independent mobility (IM) has emerged as a critical determinant of child development and well-being. Defined as ‘the freedom for children to move about their neighbourhood without adult supervision’, children’s IM is in direct conflict with motornormativity. And yet, very few studies explore these three practices together, and very few public health interventions actively confront motornormativity to support children’s IM. We hypothesise that IM is foundational to AT and OFP, and that efforts to increase AT and OFP are doomed to fail without a deep understanding of the barriers to children’s IM. We conclude with ideas to study and support children’s IM in public health research and practice

Neighbourhood (mathematics) · Political science · Psychological intervention · Public health · Public relations · Sociology · Children's Rights and Participation · Medicine · Nursing · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology · Urban Transport and Accessibility

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