Physical Activity in Parks

Abstract

Background Physical inactivity is an important health risk factor that could be addressed at the community level. Purpose To determine whether using a community-based participatory approach with park directors and park advisory boards (PABs) could increase physical activity in local parks. We also tested whether involving PABs would be more effective than working with park directors alone. Design Randomized controlled intervention trial from 10/2007-4/2012 with partial blinding of observers to the condition. Setting/Participants Of 183 eligible parks in the City of Los Angeles, 50 neighborhood park/recreation centers serving diverse populations participated. Parks were randomized to three study arms, 1) Park-director intervention (PD-only), 2) Park Advisory Board intervention (PAB/PD), and 3) a control arm. We systematically observed physical activity in each park and interviewed park users and residents living within one mile of the park. Intervention(s) The intervention including assessing park use, obtaining feedback from park users and community residents, offering training on outreach and marketing, and giving each intervention park $4000 to increase park-based physical activity. The PAB/PD arm required participation and concurrence on all purchases by the PAB. Main Outcome Measure(s) Change in the number of park users and change in the level of physical activity, expressed as MET-hours. Results Relative to control parks where physical activity declined, in both the PD-only and PAB/PD parks physical activity increased, generating an estimated average of 600 more person visits/week/park, and 1830 MET-hours more physical activity/week/park. Both residents and park users reported increased frequency of exercise. No differences were noted between the PD-only and PAB/PD study arms. Conclusions Overall, providing feedback on park use and community perspectives and offering park directors training on outreach and marketing with modest discretionary funding increased the amount of physical activity observed in parks. Parks have an important role in supporting community level physical activity.

The effect of physical training on the N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced mammary carcinogenesis of Sprague–Dawley rats

“…The study of Cohen demonstrated that moderate physical activity in rats had a preventive and inhibitory effect on the progression of carcinogenesis. 12 Similar observations have been made in female Sprague-Dawley rats in the study of Westerlind et al, in which physical training was shown to delay cancer development and decrease tumor growth. 13 On the other hand, it has been shown by other groups that moderate physical exercise does not affect the development of breast cancer following MNU administration.…”

“…15,16 Studies by Cohen and S'aez et al have shown that excessively high or low levels of intensity of physical activity are the leading factors influencing breast cancer progression. 12,17 Low intensity and short duration of physical activity were observed to enhance the rate of occurrence of mammary tumors, while increasing intensity and duration of exercise resulted in a protective effect against mammary cancer development. 9 However, the study of Whittal-Strange et al has demonstrated that already developed tumors increase in weight following excessively intense exercise.…”

How much neighborhood parks contribute to local residents' physical activity in the City of Los Angeles: A meta-analysis

“…We pooled data collected from five primary studies conducted by us (Cohen et al, 2013; Cohen et al, 2012a; Cohen et al, 2010; Cohen et al, 2012b; Cohen et al, 2007) between 2003 and 2014 (one study is still ongoing). The five previous studies included 37% (n=83) of the neighborhood park and recreation center system in the City of Los Angeles, covering a wide variety of neighborhoods with mild oversampling in low-income areas.…”

“…Parks’ size is associated with park use (Cohen et al, 2010), and often varies within cities, with smaller parks in the dense urban cores and larger ones in the periphery, based on land cost and availability at the time the areas were developed (Dahmann et al, 2010). Prior studies have also indicated that the use of parks is highly dependent on programming within the park, e.g., group exercises, classes, and organized sports events (Cohen et al, 2013; Cohen et al, 2012a). Moreover, the use of parks may be reduced where the community considers the spaces unsafe, poorly maintained, or poorly equipped (Babey et al, 2005; Babey et al, 2007).…”

Racial Disparities in Obesity Treatment

“…[41, 42] Members of lower SES tend to have less access to opportunities to engage in organized sports and are less likely to have the means to pursue other recreational physical activities. However, when resources are provided, physical activity has been observed to increase.…”