Research Results on Recreation Facilities, Parks, Playgrounds, Trails,

and Open Space

Active Living Researchwww.activelivingresearch.org

A national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Any of the slides contained in this set are available for public use. If you have comments or questions about a particular slide, please contact Debbie Lou at dlou@projects.sdsu.edu

Giles-Corti B, Broomhall MH, Knuiman M, et al. Increasing walking: How important is distance to, attractiveness, and size of public open space? American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2005; 28(2S2): 169-176.

Survey data collected from 1773 adults who use public open space (POS) in Perth, Australia found that: •People with very good access to attractive and large POS were 50% more likely to achieve high levels of walking, totaling 180 minutes or more per week

•People who use any POS, regardless of attractiveness or size, were nearly 3 times more likely to achieve recommended physical activity levels of 150 minutes or more per week

People who live near more destinations, such as restaurants and shops, walk more often. They are also more likely to meet the daily physical activity recommendations.

Pierce JR, Denison AV, Arif AA, Rohrer JE. Living near a trail is associated with increased odds of walking among patients using community clinics. Journal of Community Health, 2006; 31(4): 289-302.

Pierce JR, Denison AV, Arif AA, Rohrer JE. Living near a trail is associated with increased odds of walking among patients using community clinics. Journal of Community Health, 2006; 31(4): 289-302.

Cohen DA, McKenzie TL, et al. Contribution of public parks to physical activity. American Journal of Public Health 2007; 97(3):509-514.

A 2007 study of 1318 residents of predominantly low-income Los Angeles neighborhoods found people who live closer to a park are more likely to visit parks and exercise more often.

Survey data from 87 parents of children and 124 matched pairs of parents and adolescents in three US cities found playgrounds are among the places where children are the most physically active.

Grow HM, Saelens BE, Kerr J, Durant NH, Norman GJ, Sallis JF. Where are youth active? Roles of proximity, active transport, and built environment. Medicine and science in sports and exercise 2008;40:2071-9.

Data from the 2003 California Health Interview Survey (N=4010) show that certain adolescents are more likely to engage in regular physical activity and/or less likely to be inactive when they have access to safe parks

Babey SH, Haster TA, Yu H, Brown R. Physical activity among adolescents: When do parks matter? American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2008; 34(4):345-348.

Regular Physical Activity (Odds ratios)

Regular Physical Inactivity (Odds ratios)

Urban areas 1.10* .58*Neighborhood perceived as

unsafe

1.07 .47*

Income < 300% fed. poverty level

1.10* .62*

Latino 1.08 .69

Asian 1.03 .38*White 1.01 .57*

*=significant

Population density and land-use mixture are significant predictors of physical activity along greenways(Based on GPS and GIS data from a 12-mile river greenway in Lansing and an 8-mile river greenway in Battle Creek, MI)

Greenways have higher levels of physical activity when:

A park or wooded area is nearby (“green” settings) The trail intersects areas with greater land-use mixture Trail segments connect both green settings and areas with greater

land-use mixture

Coutts C. Greenway accessibility and physical activity behavior. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design 2008; 35: 552-563.ALR Funded

Observations of children in the 2nd through 8th grades over two years in an inner-city New Orleans schoolyard* show that children are more likely to be very active in play areas with installed play structures than those with an open field

Farley TA, Meriwether RA, et al. Where do children play? The influence of playground equipment on physical activity of children in free play. Journal of Physical Activity and Health 2008; 5:319-331.

*mean of 39.6 children present on any given observation

** Concrete area equipped with basketball hoops, hopscotch, and other play features

SOPARC* observations of four suburban parks in the southeastern US found that park visitors are more likely to engage in vigorous physical activity when using courts, paths, and playgrounds

Shores KA, West ST. The Relationship between built park environments and physical activity in four park locations. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 2008; 14(3):E9-E16.

* System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities

Findings from Indianapolis show that urban greenways are used more when trails have:

•Larger and more open viewsheds*

•Greener features than surrounding neighborhoods

•Greater land-use diversity within viewsheds*

(Based on GPS and GIS data from a 12-mile river greenway in Lansing and an 8-mile river greenway in Battle Creek, MI)

* Measured as one half mile buffers surrounding active trail segments within which users perceive the openness and interconnectedness of a trail

Lindsey, G., Wilson, J., Yang, J.A. & Alexa, C. Urban greenways, trail characteristics and trail use: Implications for design. Journal of Urban Design 2008; 13(1): 53-79. DOI: 10.1080/13574800701804033.ALR Funded

Floyd MF, Spengler JO, et al. Park-based physical activity in diverse communities of two U.S. Cities: An observational study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2008; 34(1): 299-305.ALR Funded

A study of White, African-American, and Hispanic park users in 10 Tampa parks (N=7043) and 18 Chicago parks (N=2413) found significantly more users engaged in sedentary behavior than in vigorous or walking activity. Based on direct observation.

Floyd MF, Spengler JO, et al. Park-based physical activity in diverse communities of two U.S. Cities: An observational study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2008; 34(1): 299-305.ALR Funded

A study of White, African-American, and Hispanic park users in 10 Tampa parks (N=7043) found that people using tennis, racquetball, and basketball courts burned more energy than people using other park areas. Based on direct observation.

More Fewer More Fewer

Facilities Amenities

*Facilities included trails, paths, playgrounds, and courts. Amenities included drinking fountains, picnic areas, restrooms, and aesthetic features.

Kaczynski A, Potwarka L, Saelens B. Association of park size, distance, and features with physical activity in neighborhood parks. American Journal of Public Health, 2008; 98(8): 1451-1456.

Findings from a study of 380 adults and 33 neighborhood parks in Ontario, Canada found parks with more facilities and amenities* were more likely to be used for some physical activity.

Moore LV, Diez Roux AV, et al. Availability of recreational resources in minority and low socioeconomic status areas. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2008; 34(1):16-22. http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/57999.

Data collected from 2,723 adults living in New York, Baltimore, and North Carolina showed adults were 28% more likely to participate in recreational activities if there were more recreational resources within five miles of their homes. The relationship between physical activity and proximity to recreational resources was significantly greater among African Americans and Hispanics.

Moore LV, Diez Roux AV, et al. Availability of recreational resources in minority and low socioeconomic status areas. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2008; 34(1):16-22. http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/57999.

A 2007 study of Maryland, New York, and North Carolina found 70% of African-American neighborhoods and 81% of Hispanic neighborhoods did not have any recreational facilities. In contrast, only 38% of White neighborhoods lacked recreation facilities.

Children ages 8-10 who live near parks are more likely to walk to school or for leisure

For every additional park located within a half-mile of their home:

•Girls were twice as likely to walk to school

•Boys were 60% more likely to walk in leisure time

[based on cross-sectional analyses of GIS data and data from the Quebec Adipose and Lifestyle Investigation of Youth (QUALITY) Study]

American Heart Association news release (March 12, 2009). Children living near green spaces are more active. Accessed March 20, 2009 at http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=694.

Analysis of municipal park and recreation spending and 2000 census data on the Los Angeles Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area found that:

• Low-income residential communities suffer most from a lack of financial resources for parks and recreation

• Low-spending cities tend to be clustered, exacerbating the problem of inaccessibility

• Minorities, especially blacks, live in cities with lower amounts of total parks and recreation spending

• When cities face fiscal stress, park and recreation services are often the first to be cut

Joassart-Marcellis P. Leveling the playing field? Urban disparities in funding for local parks and recreation. Professional Geographer 2009 (in press). ALR Funded

A study of children aged 8 to 16 (N=106) in Buffalo, NY found younger children use play equipment more than older children, while older children are more likely to use open natural areas. Findings suggest play areas should incorporate diverse features to encourage physical activity among different age groups of youth.

*age effect, p < 0.05**gender effect, p < 0.05

Roemmich et al. Children’s Choices of Park Elements for Physical Activity. 7th Active Living Research Annual Conference, San Diego, CA, February, 2010.

A study of 9 public elementary schools in Denver, Colorado found that children had significantly higher rates of physical activity in schoolyards renovated by Learning Landscapes* than in schoolyards that were not renovated.

*Learning Landscapes is a program of the College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Colorado, Denver that transforms old, neglected schoolyards into attractive, safe, multi-use schoolyards tailored to the needs and desires of the local community.

Brink LA et al. Influence of Schoolyard Renovations on Children’s Physical Activity: The Learning Landscapes Program. Am J Public Health 2010; 100(9): 1672-1678.

Data on 2692 low-income women from the CDC’s WISEWOMAN study found that women who lived in areas containing a ratio of one fitness facility per 1000 residents had on average a BMI that was 1.39 kg/m2 lower than the BMI of women living in areas with fewer fitness facilities.

Mobley LR, Root ED, Finkelstein EA, et al. Environment, obesity, and cardiovascular disease risk in low-income women. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2006; 30(4): 327-332.

Cohen DA et al. Effects of Park Improvements on Park Use and Physical Activity. Policy and Programming Implications. AJPM 2009;37(6): 475-480

Observations of 10 urban parks located in predominantly Latino, African-American, and low-income communities in southern California and self-reports from 2867 residents and park users found:

•Although perceptions of safety increased significantly after park improvements were implemented, this was not associated with park use or exercise

•More parks users observed in larger parks

•Park use is weakly related to the number of scheduled programs and organized activities

•Most used parks had many activities or unique features

Cohen DA et al. Effects of Park Improvements on Park Use and Physical Activity. Policy and Programming Implications. AJPM 2009;37(6): 475-480

Observations of 10 urban parks located in predominantly Latino, African-American, and low-income communities in southern California and self-reports from 2867 residents and park users found:

•Park improvements did not result in increased park use and physical activity;

However….

•The percentage of respondents who had visited the park for the first time within the past 12 months at follow-up doubled for intervention parks compared to less than 25% for parks that were not improved

A 2007 study of 1318 residents of predominantly low-income Los Angeles neighborhoods found people who live closer to a park are more likely to visit parks and exercise more often.

Cohen DA, McKenzie TL, et al. Contribution of public parks to physical activity. American Journal of Public Health 2007; 97(3):509-514.

Residential Proximity is Associated with Park Use

•People living within one mile of the park were four times as likely to visit the park once a week or more •Those living within one mile had an average of 38% more exercise sessions per week than those living farther away

A national study of nearly 3,000 women found that American-Indian and African-American women were more likely to report not having neighborhood sidewalks compared with White women.

King AC, Castro C, Eyler AA, et al. “Personal and Environmental Factors Associated with Physical Inactivity among Different Racial-Ethnic Groups of US Middle-Aged and Older-Aged Women.” Health Psychology, 19(4):354-364, 2000.