Environmental and Psychosocial Determinants of Children's Physical Activity When Visiting an Urban Park

Abstract

No relationships reported)PURPOSE: This study was conducted to compare the efficacy of forest therapy experienced by middle-aged and elderly people between two locations: the forest areas close to their homes and a forest sanctuary (a designated site providing therapeutic effects). METHODS:The subjects were nine males (mean age of 44.9 years) and twelve females (mean age of 55.9 years). During the period between October and November 2009, we asked them to take a walk in a forest for about an hour at a time in a forest sanctuary (only sunny days) and the forest areas located in their neighborhoods (twelve people on sunny days and five people on rainy days). They walked for 20 minutes at an intensity of 3METs or less, took a break for about twenty minutes while viewing the landscape, and walked for another twenty minutes. Prior to and following the walk, we measured their heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), salivary chromogranin A (CgA) -an index of psychological stress, and Profile of Mood States (POMS). The level of significance was P<0.05. RESULTS:After they walked in the forest sanctuary, marked decreases in SBP and DBP were observed. There was a decrease in SBP after walking in the neighboring forests on sunny days, whereas the SBS level remained unchanged on rainy days. In the forest sanctuary, no marked change in CgA was observed. While the CgA level decreased after they walked in the neighboring forests on sunny days, there was no marked change in CgA on rainy days. POMS scores were markedly lower for "Tension-Anxiety", "Anger-Hostility", and "Confusion", and higher for "Vigor" following the walk in the forest sanctuary. After they walked in the neighboring forests on sunny days, the score for "Vigor" was higher, whereas no marked change was observed on rainy days. CONCLUTIONS:When the middle-aged and elderly experienced forest therapy on sunny days in neighboring forests, the level of its therapeutic efficacy was as high as that of the forest sanctuary.Parks may be ideal community resources for promoting youth physical activity. However, there are few data on the activity of children when they visit a park. PURPOSE:To determine the duration of use and intensity of activity when using various park elements and the psychosocial determinants of physical activity when children visit a park. METHODS:Non-obese younger (8-11y, n=21) and older (12-15y, n=26) boys and younger (n=33) and older (n=26) girls from the 1-mile neighborhood around an urban park in Buffalo, NY freely played or rested during a scheduled 1-h park visit with a friend. The starting location and overview of park elements were standardized. Targeted elements within the park were digitized into a GIS map. Behavioral maps were created by placing point location markers and coding the activity type using a tablet-PC observation tool designed to work within GIS. Markers were placed when a child changed location, activity type or intensity. Intensity (METs) was coded using a compendium of children's physical...