Physical activity patterns in urban neighbourhood parks: insights from a multiple case study

Unearthing Inequities in the Relationship between Multiple Sociodemographic Factors and Diverse Elements of Park Availability and Quality in a Major Southern Metropolitan Region

Parks are critical components of healthy communities. This study explored neighborhood socioeconomic and racial/ethnic inequalities in park access and quality in a large U.S. southeastern metropolitan region. A total of 241 block groups were examined, including 77 parks. For each block group, we obtained multiple sociodemographic indicators, including unemployment rate, education level, renter-occupied housing, poverty rate, and racial/ethnic minority composition. All parks were mapped using geographical information systems and audited via the Community Park Audit Tool to evaluate their features and quality. We analyzed seven diverse elements of park quality (transportation access, facility availability, facility quality, amenity availability, park aesthetics, park quality concerns, and neighborhood quality concerns), as well as an overall park quality score by calculating the mean for all parks within each block group. The mean percent of residents below 125% of the poverty level and the percentage of renter-occupied housing units were significantly higher among block groups with any parks in comparison to block groups with no parks. In addition, there were significant positive associations between park transportation access scores and both the percentage of residents with less than high school education and the percent identifying as non-Hispanic white. Moreover, there was a significant negative association between park amenity availability and the block group's unemployed population. Further, a significant negative association between park aesthetics and the population with a lower than high school education percentage was observed. Revealed differences in park availability, park acreage, and park quality dimensions emphasized the need for targeted policy, programmatic, and infrastructure interventions to improve park access and quality and address health disparities.

Observation-based data-gathering method to support the assessment of the use of cultural ecosystem services in urban green spaces

Urban green spaces (UGS), such as parks, gardens, forests, and green infrastructure, supply numerous regulating, provisioning and cultural ecosystem services to urban communities, which is key for their wellbeing. To effectively plan and design UGS, it is crucial to understand how people use them and the factors that influence their usage. The diverse range of factors includes cultural, socioeconomic, demographic, seasonal, and spatial aspects, which present a challenge for studying these areas. Data collection methods based on observation enable capturing of high-quality data that reflect the behaviours in UGS, providing valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers. Standardised protocols and frameworks facilitate knowledge gathering, allowing researchers and practitioners to build upon evidence for effective urban planning and policymaking. This work aims to develop a method based on a mobile app to collect observation-based data on UGS usage efficiently.•Mobile app to collect georeferenced information on observed activities, basic sociodemographic characteristics, time and seasonal factors, and park characteristics, including the spatial distribution of park recreational equipment.•App optimised for fast and accurate data collection.•Focused on cultural ecosystem services.

How Much Did Urban Park Use Change under the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Comparative Study of Summertime Park Use in 2019 and 2020 in Edinburgh, Scotland

The importance of urban parks was highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, when a number of restrictions on social gatherings were in place and people's movements were often restricted to their local neighbourhood. This study examined the changes in patterns of park use before and during COVID-19 to understand how the pandemic influenced such use. The methods involved behaviour observation and mapping, to offer a comparison of the use of parks in Edinburgh, Scotland, before and in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings show an overall increase in use of urban parks during COVID-19, as expected, with significantly higher use in social areas, sports and fitness areas, and playground areas. However, while there was an overall increase in people visiting parks with others during COVID, in woodland areas there was an increase in lone visitors. This study shows the importance of parks for socialisation, exercise and children's play, but also for spending time alone in natural areas during COVID-19. The value of urban parks at a time of social disruption, such as the pandemic, is highlighted, and their role in supporting a variety of urban dwellers' needs points to priorities for future park planning, design and management.

The park physical activity questionnaire (Park-PAQ): A reliable measurement tool for park-based and total physical activity

BACKGROUND

Few studies have explicitly quantified the proportion of park-based physical activity to park users' overall physical activity levels. Population studies need new context-specific physical activity measurement tools to achieve this. The objective of this study was to develop a reliable measure of self-reported park use and physical activity undertaken within and outside of parks to determine the contribution that park-based physical activity makes to overall physical activity levels.

METHODS

A test-retest reliability study (n = 104) was conducted using the Park Physical Activity Questionnaire (Park-PAQ), an instrument based on the Active Australia Survey. Park-PAQ items captured the frequency and duration of walking for recreation or exercise, walking for transport, moderate and vigorous physical activity and strength, conditioning and balance activities done in parks and elsewhere.

RESULTS

Recall of doing any walking for recreation (kappa = 0.649, p < 0.001) and any vigorous physical activity (kappa = 0.772, p < 0.001) was 'substantial', recall of doing any moderate physical activity (kappa = 0.553, p < 0.001) was 'moderate/acceptable', and recall of any walking for transport (kappa = 0.840, p < 0.001) 'near perfect'. Recall of the time spent walking for recreation in parks (ICC = 0.928, p < 0.001) was 'near perfect', whilst recall of time spent doing moderate activity in parks (ICC = 0.925, p < 0.001) and vigorous activity in parks (ICC = 0.962, p < 0.001) was 'near perfect'. Time spent walking for transport in a park (ICC = 0.200, p = 0.056) showed 'poor' agreement. Repeatability of the usual level of park use was 'substantial' (kappa = 0.744).

CONCLUSIONS

The Park-PAQ reliably measures six domains of physical activity and quantifies the proportion of physical activity done in parks as a proportion of total physical activity. The Park-PAQ, used alone or embedded into park or physical activity surveys, will reliably capture context-specific activities that will optimise population level physical activity interventions, park programming and park management and design.

Fecal contamination of urban parks by domestic dogs and tragedy of the commons

Contamination of public parks by dogs is a potential source of conflict among park users, causing "tragedy of the commons" problems. Besides the social conflict, feces can pose serious health risks to both dogs and humans. In this study we analyzed the extent and patterns of the distribution of dog feces in the urban parks of the City of Calgary. We collected dog feces from randomly selected locations in the urban parks. The average density of dog feces by the different dog leash policies of the parks and the distribution pattern of the fecal density within the parks were assessed, and the total contamination of the public parks for the entire city was estimated. We found off-leash parks to be significantly more contaminated than other types of parks. We estimated 127.23 g/ha of dog feces are left unpicked in city parks in total every week. Dog feces were found more often and in greater amount in off-leash parks, and near park entrances and parking lots, than in on-leash parks and away from the park entrances. These results suggest that public park visitors, especially those visiting off-leash parks, are likely to be exposed to large amounts of dog feces. Designation of parks as on-leash and educating dog-owners may be an effective approach for reducing the fecal contamination.

If You Build It Will They Come? Park Upgrades, Park Use and Park-Based Physical Activity in Urban Cape Town, South Africa-The SUN Study

The development and upgrade of recreational public spaces are key government strategies to increase opportunities for physical activity (PA) and enhance social interaction and community cohesion. This study aimed to evaluate differences in park use and park-based PA in recently upgraded/developed parks (intervention, n = 4) against established parks (control, n = 4) and in regional parks in high- and low-income settings (n = 2). Additionally, associations between target area features, park use and PA were identified. Direct observation of park use and attributes was conducted using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) over four months. Despite more park users in intervention parks (2519 vs. 1432), control park visitors were 48% more likely to be engaged in PA (p < 0.001). Similarly, while high-income park users attracted more visitors (2135 vs. 1111), they were 79% less likely to be engaged in any PA compared with low-income park visitors. The likelihood of both use of and PA by gender and age differed by features. Active recreation features in intervention parks attracted more users than the same features in control parks. In this study, upgraded or newly developed parks attracted more visitors but not necessarily overall greater levels of physical activity.

Tranquillity in Urban Classical Chinese Gardens and Modern Parks: The Effect of Natural and Contextual Features

Parks and green spaces are an integral part of many urban areas. Such spaces offer a variety of psychological, physical and social benefits promoting a stronger sense of community and allowing people to cope better with everyday stress. These parks are often designed to provide tranquillity for people, and it is now an emerging area of policy in the promotion of quality of life. Tranquillity is considered a natural asset. Although they are vital, tranquil spaces are under threat, and it is, therefore, important to identify and understand such places so that they can be further planned and managed for the benefits that they provide. This study conceptualises the understanding of tranquillity and determines the extent to which a tranquil environment can be achieved. The study identified six parks referred to as “modern parks (MPs)” and “classical Chinese gardens (CCGs)”. Three parks each are located in Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Questionnaires were used to ascertain the importance of tranquil areas and the contribution of park components towards tranquillity. This study investigates the contribution of park elements that include both natural and contextual features. Furthermore, park characteristics and park elements were similarly identified. There were clear differences between natural and contextual features in terms of their potential contribution towards park users’ perceived tranquillity. There is also a striking importance and potential contribution of contextual features within classical Chinese gardens in relation to perceived tranquillity. This study concludes that there is the need to continue to enhance the quality of park spaces with regard to fostering tranquillity in urban areas.

Associations of public open space attributes with active and sedentary behaviors in dense urban areas: A systematic review of observational studies

In the context of rapid urbanization, public open spaces in dense urban areas are critical built environment elements to support active lifestyles. Several reviews have explored the associations of public open space attributes with physically active and sedentary behavior. However, few reviews have included studies from Asia, and no studies have focused on dense urban areas. This systematic review analyzed 18 observational studies investigating associations between public open space attributes with physical activity and sedentary behavior in dense urban areas of East Asian countries, including Japan, Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong. We found that closer distance to and a greater number of public open spaces and features within them were positively associated with leisure-time physical activity. Places near water features and corridors within public open spaces were associated with more sedentary behavior. These findings inform landscape and urban design guidelines for (re)designing public open spaces to support active lifestyles in high dense urban areas.

Exploring the Determinants of Urban Green Space Utilization Based on Microblog Check-In Data in Shanghai, China

Urban green space has significant social, ecological, cultural and economic value. This study uses social media data to examine the spatiotemporal utilization of major parks in Shanghai and explore the determinants of their recreational attraction. Methods: Based on microblog check-in data between 2012 and 2018 across 17 parks in Shanghai, we investigated the patterns at different temporal scales (weekly, seasonal and annual) and across workdays and weekends by using log-linear regression models. Results: Our findings indicate that both internal and external factors affect park utilization. In particular, the presence of sports facilities significantly contributes to higher visit frequency. Factors such as the number of subway stations nearby, scenic quality and popularity have a positive impact on check-in numbers, while negative factors affecting park use are number of roads, ticket price and average surrounding housing price. Across different temporal scales, the use patterns of visitors have obvious seasonal and monthly tendencies, and the differences of workday and weekend models lie in external factors’ impacts. Conclusions: In order to achieve the goal of better serving the visitors, renewal of urban green spaces in megacities should consider these influential factors, increase sports facilities, subway stations nearby and improve scenic quality, popularity and water quality. This study on spatiotemporal utilization of urban parks can help enhance comprehensive functions of urban parks and be helpful for urban renewal strategies.

Innovative and Assistive eHealth Technologies for Smart Therapeutic and Rehabilitation Outdoor Spaces for the Elderly Demographic

The use of technology for social connectivity and achieving engagement goals is increasingly essential to the overall well-being of our rapidly ageing population. While much of the extant literature has focused on home automation and indoor remote health monitoring; there is a growing literature that finds personal health and overall well-being improves when physical activities are conducted outdoors. This study presents a review of possible innovative and assistive eHealth technologies suitable for smart therapeutic and rehabilitation outdoor spaces for older persons. The article also presents key performance metrics required of eHealth technologies to ensure robust, timely and reliable biometric data transfer between patients in a therapeutic landscape environment and respective medical centres. A literature review of relevant publications with a primary focus of integrating sensors and eHealth technologies in outdoor spaces to collect and transfer data from the elderly demographic who engage such built landscapes to appropriate stakeholders was conducted. A content analysis was carried out to synthesize outcomes of the literature review. The study finds that research in assistive eHealth technologies and interfaces for outdoor therapeutic spaces is in its nascent stages and has limited generalisability. The level of technology uptake and readiness for smart outdoor spaces is still developing and is currently being outpaced by the growth of elderly fitness zones in public spaces. Further research is needed to explore those eHealth technologies with interactive feedback mechanisms that are suitable for outdoor therapeutic environments.

Older People’s Preferences for Housing and Environment Characteristics

Population ageing presents significant challenges for many countries, one of which is the provision of adequate housing. Developing understanding of the needs and preferences of ageing societies will be crucial in order to assist in the provision of suitable housing and communities that are sustainable in the long term. While a preference to ‘age in place’ is clear in the literature, comparatively less academic research is available on older people’s preferences for more specific housing and environment attributes. The aim of this study is to identify the main housing and environment characteristics that are linked to the health and wellbeing of the elderly and determine the preferences for such characteristics via a survey with UK residents aged 55+. The results indicate a strong preference for independent living and an increasing desire for bungalows in later life. Housing conditions, energy efficiency, thermal comfort, and home adaptions to facilitate ageing in place are particularly important housing characteristics to older people. The location and environment are also key drivers of housing preferences; a safe neighbourhood, accessibility to amenities, public transport, and a clean and walkable environment are particularly important. Preferences varied with age, but gender has a less significant impact on the preferences expressed. The findings of this study will be valuable for stakeholders engaged in housing policy and provision for older people.

Assessing Physical Activity in Temporary Spaces: Application of SOPARC / iSOPARC® for Play Streets

Purpose: The System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) is a valid, reliable method for understanding how people engage in physical activity (PA) in various permanent settings (e.g., parks) and contexts. However, its utility, reliability, and validity in temporary spaces has not been examined. Temporary spaces can provide PA opportunities often absent in low-income communities due to inadequate safe permanent PA spaces. Play Streets involve temporary closure of streets or other publicly accessibly spaces (e.g., parking lots, open-fields) to create safe play spaces for a specified time-period. We describe the utility, reliability, and validity of using SOPARC to assess PA in temporary spaces like Play Streets. Method: Trained SOPARC/iSOPARC (iPad App) research staff completed systematic observations during Play Streets occurring in four diverse low-income rural U.S. communities during summer 2017. Results: We successfully used iSOPARC to document PA and how spaces were used at Play Streets (n = 16), confirming its utility, reliability, and validity. Unlike observations of permanent spaces, target areas could not be pre-established since play spaces often changed during set-up, requiring time onsite to identify target areas and boundaries. Play areas frequently appeared and/or disappeared during Play Streets, and this was systematically addressed by using physical target area boundaries instead of activities. Conclusions: Understanding how temporary spaces are used for PA is critical for promoting their use. SOPARC/iSOPARC methods are useful in a Play Streets' context; however, systematic methods and training are needed to address inherent unpredictable and dynamic changes within and across target areas.

Evaluation of the Equity of Urban Park Green Space Based on Population Data Spatialization: A Case Study of a Central Area of Wuhan, China

To measure the equity of urban park green space, spatial matching between service supply and user group demand should be taken into consideration. However, if the demographic data, with the administrative division as the basic unit, are directly applied to characterize the spatial distribution of a user group, it may introduce inevitable deviation into the evaluation results due to the low-resolution nature and modifiable areal unit problem of such data. Taking the central area of Wuhan as an example, the population data spatialization method based on land use modeling was used to build a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model of land cover type and demographic data, and the spatial distribution of the population of the 150 m grid was obtained by inversion. Then, the equity of park green space in Wuhan central city was evaluated by population spatial data and network accessibility. The results showed that (1) the range of park green space in the central urban area of Wuhan was within a walking distance of 15 min, accounting for 25.8% of the total study area and covering 54.2% of the population in the study area; (2) the equity of park green space in Hongshan District was the worst; (3) and the use of population spatial data can measure equity on a more precise scale.

Big Data-Based Evaluation of Urban Parks: A Chinese Case Study

Urban parks play a key role in urban sustainable development. This paper proposes a method for the evaluation of public parks from the perspective of accessibility and quality. The method includes the data extraction of urban park locations and the delineation of urban built-up areas. The processing of urban park data not only involves the extraction from digital maps, but also the classification of urban parks using a semi-automated model in ArcGIS. The urban area is identified using the Point of Interest (POI) data in digital maps, taking economic and human activities into consideration. The service area and its overlapped time is included in the evaluation indicators. With a clear definition of park and urban built-up area, the evaluation result of urban parks is of great comparability. Taking China as an example, the quality of urban parks in 273 prefecture-level cities has been evaluated. The results show that the average service coverage of urban parks in Chinese cities is 64.8%, and that there are significant disparities between cities with different population sizes and locations. The results suggest the necessity to improve public parks in small-and-medium sized cities and inland areas to strengthen the coordination of urbanization and regional development.

Encouraging Dog Walking for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Regular physical activity is associated with numerous health benefits, including the prevention of many chronic diseases and conditions or a reduction in their adverse effects. Intervention studies suggest that promoting dog walking among dog owners who do not routinely walk their dogs may be an effective strategy for increasing and maintaining regular physical activity. Strategies that emphasize the value of dog walking for both dogs and people, promote the context-dependent repetition of dog walking, enhance the social-interaction benefits, encourage family dog walking, and ensure availability of public space for dog walking may encourage increased dog walking. Research also supports organizing buddy systems via "loaner" dogs to facilitate informal walking by dog owners and non-dog owners. Given the number of homes that have dogs, strategies that promote dog walking could be effective at increasing physical activity levels among a significant proportion of the population. Maximizing the potential for dog walking to positively influence the health of individual people (and dogs) will only occur through implementing programs with broad population-level reach. Policies that facilitate dog walking at the community and population levels, such as "dogs allowed" places, off-leash zones, and dog-friendly built environments and parks, may contribute to greater physical activity through dog walking.

Neighbourhood built environment characteristics associated with different types of physical activity in Canadian adults

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to estimate the associations between neighbourhood built environment characteristics and transportation walking (TW), recreational walking (RW), and moderate-intensity (MPA) and vigorous-intensity physical activity (VPA) in adults independent of sociodemographic characteristics and residential self-selection (i.e. the reasons related to physical activity associated with a person's choice of neighbourhood).

METHODS

In 2007 and 2008, 4423 Calgary adults completed land-based telephone interviews capturing physical activity, sociodemographic characteristics and reasons for residential self-selection. Using spatial data, we estimated population density, proportion of green space, path/cycleway length, business density, bus stop density, city-managed tree density, sidewalk length, park type mix and recreational destination mix within a 1.6 km street network distance from the participants' geolocated residential postal code. Generalized linear models estimated the associations between neighbourhood built environment characteristics and weekly neighbourhood-based physical activity participation (≥ 10 minutes/week; odds ratios [ORs]) and, among those who reported participation, duration of activity (unstandardized beta coefficients [B]).

RESULTS

The sample included more women (59.7%) than men (40.3%) and the mean (standard deviation) age was 47.1 (15.6) years. TW participation was associated with intersection (OR = 1.11; 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.20) and business (OR = 1.52; 1.29 to 1.78) density, and sidewalk length (OR = 1.19; 1.09 to 1.29), while TW minutes was associated with business (B = 19.24 minutes/week; 11.28 to 27.20) and tree (B = 6.51; 2.29 to 10.72 minutes/week) density, and recreational destination mix (B = -8.88 minutes/ week; -12.49 to -5.28). RW participation was associated with path/cycleway length (OR = 1.17; 1.05 to 1.31). MPA participation was associated with recreational destination mix (OR = 1.09; 1.01 to 1.17) and sidewalk length (OR = 1.10; 1.02 to 1.19); however, MPA minutes was negatively associated with population density (B = -8.65 minutes/ week; -15.32 to -1.98). VPA participation was associated with sidewalk length (OR = 1.11; 1.02 to 1.20), path/cycleway length (OR = 1.12; 1.02 to 1.24) and proportion of neighbourhood green space (OR = 0.89; 0.82 to 0.98). VPA minutes was associated with tree density (B = 7.28 minutes/week; 0.39 to 14.17).

CONCLUSION

Some neighbourhood built environment characteristics appear important for supporting physical activity participation while others may be more supportive of increasing physical activity duration. Modifications that increase the density of utilitarian destinations and the quantity of available sidewalks in established neighbourhoods could increase overall levels of neighbourhood-based physical activity.

Gender Differences in the Association Between Alcohol Use and Sedentary Behavior Among Adults

Purpose:

We examined differences in the association between alcohol use and sedentary behavior by gender among adults.

Design:

Cross-sectional study that employs a complex, multistage stratified probability cluster sample design.

Setting:

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007 to 2014.

Participants:

NHANES participants aged ≥20 years and identifying as Hispanic, white, or black (N = 18 441).

Measures:

Demographic characteristics, sedentary behavior, and alcohol consumption. Sedentary behavior was measured based on the number of minutes of sedentary activity per week. Alcohol consumption in the last year was measured based on responses to items assessing whether the participant consumes alcoholic beverages and the number of alcoholic beverages consumed on average.

Analysis:

Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to estimate associations of alcohol use with categories of sedentary behavior by gender.

Results:

Compared to women who reported not consuming alcohol, women who were heavy drinkers were significantly more likely to engage in high sedentary activity (odds ratio [OR]: 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16-1.87), relative to low levels of sedentary activity. Similarly, women who were binge drinkers were more likely to engage in moderate levels of sedentary activity (OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.05-1.85). There were no significant associations between alcohol use and sedentary activity among men.

Conclusion:

Findings suggest that alcohol consumption should be considered in health promotion efforts targeting sedentary behavior among women.

Building-Based Analysis of the Spatial Provision of Urban Parks in Shenzhen, China

Urban parks provide important environmental, social, and economic benefits to people and urban areas. The literature demonstrates that proximity to urban parks is one of the key factors influencing people's willingness to use them. Therefore, the provision of urban parks near residential areas and workplaces is one of the key factors influencing quality of life. This study designed a solution based on the spatial association between urban parks and buildings where people live or work to identify whether people in different buildings have nearby urban parks available for their daily lives. A building density map based on building floor area (BFA) was used to illustrate the spatial distribution of urban parks and five indices were designed to measure the scales, service coverage and potential service loads of urban parks and reveal areas lacking urban park services in an acceptable walking distance. With such solution, we investigated the provision of urban parks in ten districts of Shenzhen in China, which has grown from several small villages to a megacity in only 30 years. The results indicate that the spatial provision of urban parks in Shenzhen is not sufficient since people in about 65% of the buildings cannot access urban parks by walking 10-min. The distribution and service coverage of the existing urban parks is not balanced at the district level. In some districts, the existing urban parks have good numbers of potential users and even have large service loads, while in some districts, the building densities surrounding the existing parks are quite low and at the same time there is no urban parks nearby some high-density areas.

Neighborhood Context and Youth Physical Activity: Differential Associations by Gender and Age

Purpose:

The goal of this research is to examine the extent to which facets of neighborhood sociodemographic contexts influence individual-level physical activity (PA) among youth.

Design:

Using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), geographic information systems (GIS), and census data sources, we explicitly test whether built environment factors have differential associations depending on the age and gender of the youth living in urban census tracts.

Setting:

Participants are from the NHANES 2003 to 2006 waves.

Participants:

The study sample for this article was 2706 youth aged 6 to 17 years with valid PA accelerometer measures.

Measures:

A measure of park accessibility was constructed from the 2006 park GIS layer in Environmental System Research Institute ArcGIS 9.3 data. Average daily minutes of moderate to vigorous PA in bouts equal to or longer than 1 minute were recorded using accelerometers over 4 to 7 days.

Analysis:

Analysis was conducted with SAS 9.2, including descriptive analyses and linear regression for PA.

Results:

Findings suggest that built environment features are especially salient for adolescents and youth living in urban areas. Vigorous activity varied by the age and gender of the youth. For example, greater distance to parks is associated with a decrease in PA among girls and boys aged 6 to 11 years. Among teens, distance to parks is significantly associated with decreases in PA among the total sample and among male teens. However, an increase in population density is associated with less time spent in PA among youth aged 6 to 11 years but more PA among teens.

Conclusion:

These analyses represent an important step to considering the implications of modifiable environmental features for youth and contrast with existing literature for adults. Results speak to the efficacy of built environment measures in urban communities and the importance of considering the possibility of differing patterns of associations in childhood and adolescence and by gender. Results from this research inform policy efforts to interdict in the growing trend of youth inactivity in the United States.

Adolescents' ratings of features of parks that encourage park visitation and physical activity

Background

The neighbourhood environment such as the availability of parks are a key, but under-researched, influence on adolescents’ physical activity. In addition to overall physical activity levels, park-based physical activity and park visitation is low in this age group. Thus, it is critical to identify park features that may encourage or discourage adolescents from visiting parks. This study used a novel methodology to identify key physical characteristics of parks that are perceived to be important for park visitation and park-based physical activity among adolescents.

Methods

Four secondary schools located in low, mid and high socio-economic status areas of Victoria, Australia were recruited. Using a purpose-built computer application, students in years 8–10 were presented with 44 original photographic images of park features. Participants rated each image (range 1–10) on how likely the feature would be to encourage them to visit a park and to engage in park-based physical activity, and placed symbols (‘thumbs up’/‘thumbs down’) on aspects of the image that had a positive or negative influence on their ratings.

Results

Participants (n = 99) had a mean age of 13.3 years (SD = 0.87) and 53 % were female. Overall, the top three rated images prompting park visitation by adolescents were: a long steep slide, a flying fox and a table tennis table. These first two features were also reported as being likely to promote physical activity in the park. Differences in ratings were observed for boys and girls. The images that received the greatest number of “thumbs-up” symbols included large swings and slides, table tennis tables, no-smoking signs, flying foxes and BMX tracks. The images that received the greatest number of “thumbs-down” symbols included signage about rules, graffiti, toilets, concrete steps, and skate bowls.

Conclusion

Physically challenging play equipment is likely to encourage adolescents to visit and be active in parks. Rules, graffiti, toilets and skate bowls may discourage visitation. It is important for park designers, planners and policy makers to consider adolescents’ views of what park design features are important so that parks are created that support and encourage visitation and optimise levels of physical activity when in the park.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12966-016-0391-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Park characteristics, use, and physical activity: A review of studies using SOPARC (System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities)

The System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) can obtain information on park users and their physical activity using momentary time sampling. We conducted a literature review of studies using the SOPARC tool to describe the observational methods of each study, and to extract public park use overall and by demographics and physical activity levels. We searched PubMed, Embase, and SPORTDiscus for full-length observational studies published in English in peer-reviewed journals through 2014. Twenty-four studies from 34 articles were included. The number of parks observed per study ranged from 3 to 50. Most studies observed parks during one season. The number of days parks were observed ranged from 1 to 16, with 16 studies observing 5 or more days. All studies included at least one weekday and all but two included at least one weekend day. Parks were observed from 1 to 14times/day, with most studies observing at least 4 times/day. All studies included both morning and afternoon observations, with one exception. There was a wide range of park users (mean 1.0 to 152.6 people/park/observation period), with typically more males than females visiting parks and older adults less than other age groups. Park user physical activity levels varied greatly across studies, with youths generally more active than adults and younger children more active than adolescents. SOPARC was adapted to numerous settings and these review results can be used to improve future studies using the tool, demonstrate ways to compare park data, and inform park promotions and programming.

Changes in visitor profiles and activity patterns following dog supportive modifications to parks: A natural experiment on the health impact of an urban policy

Urban parks are important settings for physical activity, but few natural experiments have investigated the influences of park modifications on activity patterns and visitor profiles.We assessed the impact of implementing a municipal policy on off-leash dogs in city parks in Calgary (Alberta, Canada). Systematic observation undertaken in 2011 and 2012 within four parks captured patterns of use, activities, and visitors׳ characteristics. After baseline data collection, off-leash areas were created in two parks only. We compared changes in the sociodemographic and activity profiles in all parks between 2011 and 2012. Visitors with dogs participated in less intense activity relative to visitors without dogs. In both modified parks, the intensity of children׳s activities decreased, while the intensity of adults’ activities remained stable. Adjusting for visitor characteristics, the likelihood of dog-related visits, relative to other activities, significantly decreased in one of the two modified parks (odds ratio 0.55, p<.05). Accommodating off-leash dogs in parks has the potential to modify activities undertaken inside parks as well as the profile of visitors, but may not increase park visits among dog-walkers in the short term. Recreation, park, and urban planners and policy-makers need to consider the needs and preferences of the broader community in the design and redesign of public parks.

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New off-leash areas in existing parks may not increase visits among dog-walkers.

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Accommodating off-leash dogs in parks may modify other park activities.

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Creating off-leash areas in parks may lower the intensity of children׳s activity.

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Park visitors with dogs participate in less intense activity than those without dogs.