Quality of public open spaces and recreational walking
Foster, S; Christian, H; Francis, J; Giles-Corti, B; Gunn, LD; Hooper, P; Owen, N; Sugiyama, T
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:
We examined associations between specific public open space (POS) attributes and recreational walking to local POS.
METHODS:
Between October 2004 and December 2006, 1465 adults of the RESIDential Environments Project, conducted in Perth, Australia, reported whether they walk to a POS for recreation. For each participant, we identified all open spaces larger than 0.8 hectares within 1.6 kilometers from home. On the basis of field audit data, we created 3 scores (presence, count, size-weighted presence) for 19 specific open space attributes.
RESULTS:
With logistic regression analyses, we found that walking to a POS was associated with the presence of gardens, grassed areas, walking paths, water features, wildlife, amenities, dog-related facilities, and off-leash areas for dogs. It was also associated with the highest number of these attributes in a single open space, but not with the total number of attributes in all POSs within 1.6 kilometers of home.
CONCLUSIONS:
Building 1 high-quality local park may be more effective in promoting recreational walking than is providing many average-quality parks.
| Journal | AM J PUBLIC HEALTH |
| ISSN | 0090-0036 |
| Published | 01 Dec 2015 |
| Volume | 105 |
| Issue | 12 |
| Pages | 2490-5 |
| DOI | 10.2105/AJPH.2015.302890 |
| Type | Journal Article |
| Sponsorship |
NHMRC: 458688, 1061404, 1036350, 569940, 1003960, 1004900
ARC: LP0455453
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