Places children use for physical activity in peripheral neighborhoods of the city of Cordoba.

Abstract

The way neighborhoods are designed can have enormous potential for encouraging physical activity. The aim of this study was to explore the recreational spaces available in peripheral neighborhoods of the city of Cordoba, Argentina, and determine the frequency with which children attending local public primary schools use them for physical activity. In 2011, parents answered self-administered questionnaires in which they reported their proximity to those spaces, the frequency with which children use them for physical activity, the sex of their child and the educational level of the mother. We found that places closer to the home were used more frequently by children for physical activity. Differences by the child's sex and the mother's educational level were observed. The results show the importance of these areas as resources for children's physical activity as well as the social inequalities that exist in access to these spaces.