Active Use of Parks in Flanders (Belgium): An Exploratory Observational Study

Linde Van Hecke, Jelle Van Cauwenberg, Peter Clarys, Delfien Van Dyck, Jenny Veitch and Benedicte Deforche
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Linde Van Hecke: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Jelle Van Cauwenberg: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Peter Clarys: Physical Activity, Nutrition and Health Research Unit, Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education and Physical Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Delfien Van Dyck: Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Jenny Veitch: Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
Benedicte Deforche: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium

IJERPH, 2016, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Parks have the potential to increase physical activity at the community level by providing opportunities to be active. In order to inform interventions to promote physical activity in parks, insight is needed concerning park user characteristics, the activity level of park users, the types of activities performed and associations between park areas and temporal variables with observed physical activity levels. Park user characteristics (sex, age, ethnicity and activity level) were recorded within pre-defined park areas in two parks in Ghent (Belgium) using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC). Most park users were male, adult, and engaged in vigorous-intensity physical activity (48%). Most popular activities were biking (38%), sitting (23%) and walking (15%); accordingly, trails were used most and had the highest levels of physical activity compared to other park areas. Parks were used least frequently in the morning, during the weekend and by seniors. Therefore, active park use during morning periods, on weekend days and by seniors should be promoted and urban planners should consider that different park areas can possibly elicit varying activity levels among park users.

Keywords: direct observation; recreation; physical activity; SOPARC; active living (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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