Environmental vs psychosocial barriers to active commuting to university: which matters more?

The aims of this study were (1) to examine the differences in the mode of commuting and barriers to active commuting to university between the sexes (men and women) and in different countries (Chile and Spain); and (2) to analyse the association between the mode of commuting and the perceived barriers for male and female university students in Chile and Spain. This cross-sectional study took place between April 2017 and May 2018 in Chile and Spain. The study population included 2269 university students (53.0% women). The mode of commuting and barriers to active commuting to university were assessed by a self-reported questionnaire. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations. In both sexes, public and private transport were the main modes of commuting used in Chile and Spain, respectively, followed by active commuting in all participants, except for female students in Spain. Women perceived more environmental and psychosocial barriers compared to men (Chile: P