Abstract
BackgroundThe number of sports facilities, sports clubs, or city parks in a residential neighbourhood may affect the likelihood that people participate in sports and their preferences for a certain sports location. This study aimed to assess whether objective physical and socio-spatial neighbourhood characteristics relate to sports participation and preferences for sports locations.MethodsData from Dutch adults (N = 1201) on sports participation, their most-used sports location, and socio-demographic characteristics were collected using an online survey. Objective land-use data and the number of sports facilities were gathered for each participant using a 2000-m buffer around their home locations, whereas socio-spatial neighbourhood characteristics (i.e., density, socio-economic status, and safety) were determined at the neighbourhood level. A discrete choice-modelling framework (multinomial probit model) was used to model the associations between neighbourhood characteristics and sports participation and location.ResultsHigher proportions of green space, blue space, and the number of sports facilities were positively associated with sports participation in public space, at sports clubs, and at other sports facilities. Higher degrees of urbanization were negatively associated with sports participation at public spaces, sports clubs, and other sports facilities.ConclusionsThose with more green space, blue space or sports facilities in their residential neighbourhood were more likely to participate in sports, but these factors did not affect their preference for a certain sports location. Longitudinal study designs are necessary to assess causality: do active people choose to live in sports-facilitating neighbourhoods, or do neighbourhood characteristics affect sports participation?
Highlights
The number of sports facilities, sports clubs, or city parks in a residential neighbourhood may affect the likelihood that people participate in sports and their preferences for a certain sports location
This study aims to examine whether objective neighbourhood characteristics and objective socio-spatial neighbourhood characteristics relate to sports participation and preferred sports locations
The results indicate that those with more green space, blue space or sports facilities in their residential neighbourhood were more likely to participate in sports, but it did not affect their preference for a certain sports location
Summary
The number of sports facilities, sports clubs, or city parks in a residential neighbourhood may affect the likelihood that people participate in sports and their preferences for a certain sports location. Research has shown that club-based sports participation is associated with improved psychological and social health, above and beyond the positive effects gained from other individual forms of physical activity [2, 3]. Societal developments, such as individualization, have had. In the Netherlands, data showed that in 2012, 43% of Dutch sports participants participated in sports as members of a sports club, whereas 63% () participated in sports individually, in non-organized settings [9] These numbers indicate the growing importance of public spaces as facilitators of sports participation
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