Abstract
BackgroundThe benefits of physical activity on physical and mental health are well known. The accessibility of sports facilities is reported to have considerable association with the amount of physical activity a person participates in. Therefore, we investigated the association between subjectively assessed accessibility of sports facilities and physical activity among Korean adults.MethodsWe obtained data from the 2012 Community Health Survey. Physical activity was measured based on weekly metabolic equivalent task (MET) hours according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Sociodemographic, economic, and health variables were used as covariates in a logistic regression model.ResultsA total 201,723 participants were included in this study. Participants with easy access to sports facilities participated in physical activity more often than those without easy access (OR = 1.16, 95 % CI 1.13–1.20). More physical activity was generally observed if participants had a history of depression or if participants were among the white-collar or urban subgroups.ConclusionOur results showed that the accessibility of sports facilities is associated with physical activity. Therefore, it is crucial to consider the accessibility of sports facilities when promoting an environment conducive to physical activity or designing programs for enhancing physical activity.
Highlights
The benefits of physical activity on physical and mental health are well known
We excluded individuals with data missing for sports facility accessibility (n = 1756), physical activity (n = 806), history of depression (n = 55), Body Mass Index (BMI) (n = 12,852), household income (n = 11,202), and other variables (n = 527); a final sample population of 201,723 people was selected for this study
Those with easy access to sports facilities were 1.16 times more likely to participate in physical activity than those without easy access to sports facilities (OR = 1.16, 95 % CI 1.13–1.20)
Summary
The benefits of physical activity on physical and mental health are well known. The accessibility of sports facilities is reported to have considerable association with the amount of physical activity a person participates in. Physical activity has a beneficial effect on mental diseases such as anxiety or depression [2] It reduces stress and depression, and increases self-confidence and emotional well-. Despite these numerous benefits, physical activity levels have declined in the developed and developing countries [4]. Members of vulnerable social groups have an especially increased incidence of participating in unhealthy behaviors, including physical inactivity [5] Those with lower levels of education or low economic status participate in physical activity less often compared to those of higher education and economic status [6]. In addition to these groups, most people who suffer from depression do not engage in physical activity compared to the general population [7]
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