Outdoor Recreation Facilities Research Articles

Parent-Reported Changes in Ontario Children’s Physical Activity Levels during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in closures of physical-activity-supporting environments, including playgrounds, outdoor recreation facilities (e.g., basketball courts), and community centers, which impacted children's movement opportunities. This study evaluated changes in Ontario children's physical activity levels during the COVID-19 pandemic and explored the impact of family sociodemographic markers on children's activity. Parents (n = 243; Mage = 38.8 years) of children aged 12 and under (n = 408; Mage = 6.7 years) living in Ontario, Canada, completed two online surveys between August and December 2020 (survey 1) and August and December 2021 (survey 2). Generalized linear mixed-effects models were used to estimate changes in the proportion of children who accumulated 60 min of physical activity per day pre-lockdown, during lockdown, and post-lockdown in Ontario. Results revealed a significant non-linear trajectory whereby the proportion of children achieving 60 min of physical activity per day pre-lockdown (63%) declined during lockdown (21%) and then increased post-lockdown (54%). Changes in the proportion of children engaging in 60 min of daily physical activity were moderated by several demographic variables. Efforts are needed to provide parents of young children with a wider variety of resources to ensure children are obtaining sufficient levels of physical activity regardless of the presence of community lockdowns.

People living in disadvantaged areas faced greater challenges in staying active and using recreational facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study aimed to understand the perceived effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity, recreation walking, and use of recreational facilities; and if the COVID-19 pandemic amplified disparities in physical activity, recreational walking, and use of recreational facilities related to the levels of neighborhood disadvantage. Recreational walking and the use of neighborhood streets and green spaces significantly decreased in high deprivation areas but not in low deprivation areas during the pandemic. While COVID-19 has negatively affected overall recreational activities, the inequitable impact on recreational walking and use of outdoor recreational facilities has been more evident in disadvantaged neighborhoods with greater deprivation.

Preface

The Corona Virus 19 (COVID-19) disease outbreak that has occurred worldwide since March 2020 is causing a major public health crisis, daily routine disruptions, uncertainty, social isolation, economic loss, unemployment risk, etc., which affects the whole society, single individuals, and families. The widespread social isolation, quarantine, and lockdown measures adopted in the attempt to contain the infection spreading caused high levels of psychological distress, unfavorably influencing mental health by compromising emotional and cognitive functioning. The strategy for dealing with these problems is one of the greatest challenges faced worldwide. One solution that can be offered to overcome these problems is to apply a “green prescription” in which people are advised to leave the house to enjoy nature or do activities in nature because human interaction with the natural surroundings can cause a feeling of comfort.With this “green prescription”, it can be said that the health and wellness of today’s communities are highly reliant on trees, green spaces, city parks, and forests. As indoor public recreation facilities have closed to slow the spread of COVID-19, the use of outdoor recreation facilities has been a social-distancing appropriate alternative – such as hiking, biking, camping, fishing, birdwatching, and nature walks. Being in forests or parks with trees offers tremendous benefits for human physical, mental, and spiritual health. Spending time in forests, parks, or simply looking at trees helps boost immune systems, reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, improves mood and relaxation.List of Symposium Committee and List of Participants and Photographs are available in this pdf.

User Satisfaction of Selected Public Outdoor Recreational Facilities in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State, Nigeria

User Satisfaction of Selected Public Outdoor Recreational Facilities in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State, Nigeria

Microbial contamination in drinking water at public outdoor recreation facilities in New Zealand.

The aim of our study was to assess the presence and risk of waterborne pathogens in the drinking water of outdoor facilities in New Zealand and track potential sources of microbial contamination in water sources. A serial cross-sectional study with a risk-based sample collection strategy was conducted at 15 public campgrounds over two summer seasons (2011-2012 and 2012-2013). Drinking water supplied to these campgrounds was not compliant with national standards, based on Escherichia coli as an indicator organism, in more than half of the sampling occasions. Campylobacter contamination of drinking water at the campgrounds was likely to be of wild bird origin. Faecal samples from rails (pukeko and weka) were 35 times more likely to return a Campylobacter-positive result compared to passerines. Water treatment using ultraviolet (UV) irradiation or a combination of filtration and UV irradiation or chemicals was more likely to result in water that was compliant with the national standards than water from a tap without any treatment. The use of filters alone was not associated with the likelihood of compliance. Providing microbiologically safe drinking water at outdoor recreational facilities is imperative to avoid gastroenteritis outbreaks. This requires an in-depth understanding of potential sources of contamination in drinking water sources and the installation of adequate water treatment facilities. Our study provides evidence that drinking water without treatment or filter-only treatment in public campgrounds is unlikely to comply with national standards for human consumption and extra water treatment measures such as UV irradiation or chemical treatment are needed.

Physical activity during COVID-19 quarantine.

The World Health Organization recommends that children and adolescents aged 5-17 should engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity a day. Physical activity is defined as bodily movement performed by skeletal muscles that demand energy expenditure. The physical benefits of this include musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health, a healthy body weight and neuromuscular awareness, for coordination and controlling movement. The psychological benefits include managing anxiety and building self-esteem, which are both important for children's psycho-social development (1).

Trends in Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines Among Urban and Rural Dwelling Adults - United States, 2008-2017.

Since the release of the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (https://health.gov/paguidelines/2008/pdf/paguide.pdf), the age-adjusted percentage of adults meeting the combined aerobic and muscle-strengthening guidelines increased from 18.2% to 24.3% in 2017 (1). Trends in urban and rural areas, across demographic subgroups, and among subgroups within urban and rural areas have not been reported. CDC analyzed 2008-2017 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data to examine trends in the age-standardized prevalence of meeting physical activity guidelines among adults aged ≥18 years living in urban and rural areas. Among urban and rural residents, prevalence increased from 19.4% to 25.3% and from 13.3% to 19.6%, respectively. Nationally, all demographic subgroups and regions experienced increases over this period; increases for several groups were not consistent year-to-year. Among urban residents, the prevalence was higher during 2016-2017 than during 2008-2009 for all demographic subgroups and regions. During the same period, prevalence was higher across all rural-dwelling subgroups except Hispanics, adults with a college education, and those living in the South U.S. Census region. Urban and rural communities can implement evidence-based approaches, including improved community design, improved access to indoor and outdoor recreation facilities, social support programs, and community-wide campaigns to make physical activity the safe and easy choice for persons of all ages and abilities (2-4). Incorporating culturally appropriate strategies into local programs might help address differences across subgroups.

Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

Neighborhood Risk Factors for Pediatric Fall-Related Injuries: A Retrospective Analysis of a Statewide Hospital Network

BackgroundFalls represent the leading cause of nonfatal unintentional injuries among children in the United States. Although unintentional injury risks have been studied, neighborhood impact on falls remains underexplored. This study examined the association of neighborhood attributes with rates of fall-related injuries. MethodsThis is a retrospective study of children who presented to emergency departments within a statewide hospital network for fall-related injuries between 2005 and 2014. Patients’ home addresses were geocoded to identify US Census block groups (BGs). Average annual fall rates were computed for each BG. A neighborhood risk index was constructed using 8 socioeconomic BG measures (education, crowding, vacancy, renter occupancy, poverty, family structure, race/ethnicity, and housing age). Public outdoor recreational facilities in each BG were enumerated. Linear regression analysis was used to assess the association of neighborhood risk and recreational facilities with fall rates. ResultsFrom 2005 to 2014, there were 139,986 unintentional injury emergency department visits; of these, 42,691 (30%) were for falls. The largest proportion of falls were among males (58%), children ages 1 to 4 years (39%), non-Hispanic whites (59%), and children with public health insurance (53%). Higher quintiles of neighborhood risk were associated with higher annual fall rates compared to the lowest quintile of risk: quintile 2, β = 0.44, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.20–0.68; quintile 3, β = 0.85, 95% CI, 0.61–1.10; quintile 4, β = 1.11, 95% CI, 0.85–1.37; quintile 5, β = 1.57, 95% CI, 1.29–1.85. The presence of public outdoor recreational facilities was not associated with fall rates (β = 0.01; 95% CI, –0.14 to 0.15). ConclusionNeighborhood-level socioeconomic characteristics are associated with higher fall-related injuries. Injury prevention programs could be tailored to address these neighborhood risks.

The built environment of schools: Access to unhealthy food outlets and outdoor recreational facilities

This study uses the network-based coverage method to assess the built environment of schools, which includes both unhealthy food outlets and outdoor recreational facilities. Poisson regression models are further adopted to investigate the association between the built environment and neighborhood characteristics. Public and Catholic schools are separately analyzed to obtain a more detailed perspective of the disparity between the two. Results indicate that schools facing the most unfavorable built environment located in the neighborhoods that have (1) higher rates of aboriginal and senior populations, (2) higher percentages of renters (i.e., non-homeowners), (3) more residents with no educational diploma, and (4) substantially lower median income. Overall, unhealthy food sources are more prevalent near schools that are located in neighborhoods with inferior socio-economic status. Policies and relevant programs are discussed.

The nexus between hiking and youth hostels (1907–1933): A historical analysis of the evolution of the German youth hostel movement

This paper reports the results of a historical analysis of data on the history of German youth hostelling up until 1933. While providing a detailed historical account of the evolution of German Youth hostels, the paper draws attention to the strong link between this evolutionary process and the dissemination of hiking. Consequently, the paper proposes that hiking fostered the emergence of youth hostels, which, in return by the 1920s, provided the entire German population the opportunity to participate in multi-day hiking. In concluding, it is suggested that future research should extend the knowledge on this topic, by investigating the role youth hostels in different countries played in spreading the idea of hiking. Management implicationsThe paper provides a detailed historical analysis of the evolution of German youth hostelling. The advantages for management are the following:•It explores the relationship between this evolutionary process and the dissemination of hiking.•It facilitates the understanding of the role historical events play in the evolution of tourist accommodations and the influence that these facilities, in return, can have on the leisure activities of a whole nation.•It may enable managers to be aware of and to integrate these new insights into planning or developing outdoor recreational facilities at a very early stage.

How Do Community Planning Features Affect the Place Relationship of Residents? An Investigation of Place Attachment, Social Interaction, and Community Participation

Outdoor environment can have significant connections with place relationships. This study tried to explore the connection in detail. First, the relationship was examined through an integrated view of environmental planning, followed by reviewing impacts of essential elements from the outdoor environment on place relationships. Residents of three public housing communities in Taiwan were surveyed. Each community had a different layout: alley, cluster, and large courtyard. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that outdoor community planning features can be grouped into four factors: outdoor space quality, circulation planning, outdoor recreational facilities, and community layout. Canonical correlation analyses indicate different combinations of these factors were connected to diverse combinations of place relationship dimensions. More importantly, higher levels of satisfaction toward outdoor space quality as well as community layout were associated with greater place attachment and less community participation. Higher levels of satisfaction with circulation planning were connected to greater place attachment and community participation, and less social interaction. Multiple regression analyses found the associations between the community planning features and place relationship dimensions differed among the alley, cluster, and large courtyard. These findings can help planners and architects design public housing and similar communities that better enhance the emotional and social experiences of the inhabitants.

Exploring the cross-sectional association between outdoor recreational facilities and leisure-time physical activity: the role of usage and residential self-selection

BackgroundThe availability of outdoor recreational facilities is associated with increased leisure-time physical activity (PA). We investigated how much of this association is attributable to selection effects, and explored whether usage of recreational facilities was an explanatory mechanism.MethodsWe analysed data from 5199 participants in the SPOTLIGHT survey residing in five European urban regions. Adults completed a survey and a Google Street View-based virtual audit was conducted to objectively measure the availability of outdoor recreational facilities in the residential neighbourhood. We used negative binomial GEE models to examine the association between objective and subjective availability of outdoor recreational facilities and leisure-time PA, and explored whether this association was attenuated after adjustment for socioeconomic status and preference for neighbourhoods with recreational facilities (as indicators of self-selection). We examined whether reported use of recreational facilities was associated with leisure-time PA (as explanatory mechanism), and summarized the most important motivations for (not) using recreational facilities.ResultsSubjective – but not objective – availability of outdoor recreational facilities was associated with higher levels of total leisure-time PA. After adjustment for self-selection (which attenuated the association by 25%), we found a 25% difference in weekly minutes of total leisure-time PA between individuals with and without self-reported availability of outdoor recreational facilities. For our study population, this translates to about 28 min per week. Participants who reported outdoor recreational facilities to be present but indicated not to use them (RR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.03;1.22), and those reporting outdoor recreational facilities to be present and to use them (RR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.22, 1.45) had higher levels of total leisure-time PA than those who reported outdoor recreational facilities not to be present. Proximity to outdoor recreational facilities was the most important motivation for use.ConclusionThe modest attenuation in the association between availability of outdoor recreational facilities and self-reported leisure-time PA suggests that individuals’ higher activity levels may be due more to the perceived availability of outdoor recreational facilities than to self-selection. The use of these facilities seemed to be an important underlying mechanism, and proximity was the main motivator for using recreational facilities.

Measuring segregation between rural migrants and local residents in urban China: An integrated spatio-social network analysis of Kecun in Guangzhou

In this paper, we demonstrate an integrated spatio-social network analysis to measure the degree of segregation within a Chinese urban neighborhood in terms of the everyday activities by rural migrants and local urban residents at such routine venues as restaurants, grocery stores, barber shops, etc. Our data were collected in May 2014, through an integrated geographical and social survey conducted within an inner-city neighborhood around Kecun in south China’s Guangzhou Municipality. Although Kecun features a highly condensed and mixed dwelling pattern between the rural migrants and indigenous urban population, we find that within our sample of 110 local and 132 migrant residents, the former tend to socialize more inwardly with their peer locals and visit neighborhood amenities more often such as pubs, stadia, and public kindergartens. In contrast, the migrants tend to attend local roadside food stalls, outdoor recreation facilities, small clinic shops, grocery malls, and private ( minban) kindergartens more often. Overall, only a modest degree of social interaction between the locals and migrants appears to exist in Kecun. On top of the methodological implications of our study, we argue that urban segregation in China is both socially and spatially different from its Anglo-American counterpart. More empirical research is needed to understand and assess social segregation underlying the everyday urban life in Chinese cities.

Benefits of Campus Outdoor Recreation Programs: A Review of the Literature

Campus outdoor recreation programs and facilities have faced a number of public attacks questioning their value for students. Climbing walls in particular have become, to some, emblematic of waste and financial excess in higher education. Despite these claims, this literature review uncovers numerous benefits for participants and schools provided by campus outdoor recreation specifically and campus recreation more generally. For colleges and universities, these benefits include positive effects on student recruitment, retention, and satisfaction and the opportunity for recreation programs to support academic programs directly. For students, benefits include increased academic success, smoother transitions to college, better mental and physical health, lower levels of stress and anxiety, better and more numerous social connections, better intra- and interpersonal skills, increased environmental sensitivity, and better connectedness to nature and to place. Subscribe to JOREL.

Mismatch between perceived and objectively measured environmental obesogenic features in European neighbourhoods.

Findings from research on the association between the built environment and obesity remain equivocal but may be partly explained by differences in approaches used to characterize the built environment. Findings obtained using subjective measures may differ substantially from those measured objectively. We investigated the agreement between perceived and objectively measured obesogenic environmental features to assess (1) the extent of agreement between individual perceptions and observable characteristics of the environment and (2) the agreement between aggregated perceptions and observable characteristics, and whether this varied by type of characteristic, region or neighbourhood. Cross-sectional data from the SPOTLIGHT project (n = 6037 participants from 60 neighbourhoods in five European urban regions) were used. Residents' perceptions were self-reported, and objectively measured environmental features were obtained by a virtual audit using Google Street View. Percent agreement and Kappa statistics were calculated. The mismatch was quantified at neighbourhood level by a distance metric derived from a factor map. The extent to which the mismatch metric varied by region and neighbourhood was examined using linear regression models. Overall, agreement was moderate (agreement < 82%, kappa < 0.3) and varied by obesogenic environmental feature, region and neighbourhood. Highest agreement was found for food outlets and outdoor recreational facilities, and lowest agreement was obtained for aesthetics. In general, a better match was observed in high-residential density neighbourhoods characterized by a high density of food outlets and recreational facilities. Future studies should combine perceived and objectively measured built environment qualities to better understand the potential impact of the built environment on health, particularly in low residential density neighbourhoods.

Neighbourhood typology based on virtual audit of environmental obesogenic characteristics.

Virtual audit (using tools such as Google Street View) can help assess multiple characteristics of the physical environment. This exposure assessment can then be associated with health outcomes such as obesity. Strengths of virtual audit include collection of large amount of data, from various geographical contexts, following standard protocols. Using data from a virtual audit of obesity-related features carried out in five urban European regions, the current study aimed to (i) describe this international virtual audit dataset and (ii) identify neighbourhood patterns that can synthesize the complexity of such data and compare patterns across regions. Data were obtained from 4,486 street segments across urban regions in Belgium, France, Hungary, the Netherlands and the UK. We used multiple factor analysis and hierarchical clustering on principal components to build a typology of neighbourhoods and to identify similar/dissimilar neighbourhoods, regardless of region. Four neighbourhood clusters emerged, which differed in terms of food environment, recreational facilities and active mobility features, i.e. the three indicators derived from factor analysis. Clusters were unequally distributed across urban regions. Neighbourhoods mostly characterized by a high level of outdoor recreational facilities were predominantly located in Greater London, whereas neighbourhoods characterized by high urban density and large amounts of food outlets were mostly located in Paris. Neighbourhoods in the Randstad conurbation, Ghent and Budapest appeared to be very similar, characterized by relatively lower residential densities, greener areas and a very low percentage of streets offering food and recreational facility items. These results provide multidimensional constructs of obesogenic characteristics that may help target at-risk neighbourhoods more effectively than isolated features.

Adoption Of Renewable Energy Technologies (Ret) In Tourism Industry- (A Case Of Osogbo And Olorunda Local Government Areas In Osun State, Nigeria)

Hotel accommodation in Nigeria is comparatively more expensive than its neighbours in the sub region of West Africa. It is one of the most expensive globally. This is attributable to its operating environment. Any sustainable means of reducing running costs would be most welcome. A study on adoption of renewable energy technologies (RET) was conducted in Osogbo and Olorunda Local Government Areas of Osun State, Nigeria. Data were obtained from registered hotels in the two local government areas through structured questionnaires. Results were presented descriptively. Knowledge and awareness about RET were high among the managers of the hotels with 82.5%. Solar energy technology was the most popular among the respondents with 65.0%, while radio and internet constituted the highest sources of knowledge and awareness with 30.0% and 22.5% respectively. Among the hotels, 30.0% have adopted RET with the level of adoption stated to be moderate and low with 41.7% respectively. Solar energy technology was the most RET adopted with 83.3% of respondents. Among the hotels that have not adopted RET, 92.9% were willing to adopt RET, with all of them (100%) willing to adopt solar energy. However, 7.1% of those currently not adopting RET had previously adopted solar energy technology. Cost of maintenance of the technology, lack of expertise in maintenance and lack of spare parts were ranked first, second and third respectively as reasons for discontinuance of adoption of the technology. For the hotels that have adopted RET, appreciable savings (15%) on cost of running was made, encouraging the provision of gym and outdoor recreational facilities, thereby leading to physical wellness of their customers. There is need for major policy shift by government in favour of solar energy technology and adoption. This policy should not be on awareness alone, but also in the provision of solar energy backbones and infrastructures, training and capacity building in installation, equipment parts and maintenance of the technology in order to increase and sustain adoption in tourism sector.

ADOPTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (RET) IN TOURISM INDUSTRY- (A CASE OF OSOGBO AND OLORUNDA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS IN OSUN STATE, NIGERIA)

Hotel accommodation in Nigeria is comparatively more expensive than its neighbours in the sub region of West Africa. It is one of the most expensive globally. This is attributable to its operating environment. Any sustainable means of reducing running costs would be most welcome. A study on adoption of renewable energy technologies (RET) was conducted in Osogbo and Olorunda Local Government Areas of Osun State, Nigeria. Data were obtained from registered hotels in the two local government areas through structured questionnaires. Results were presented descriptively. Knowledge and awareness about RET were high among the managers of the hotels with 82.5%. Solar energy technology was the most popular among the respondents with 65.0%, while radio and internet constituted the highest sources of knowledge and awareness with 30.0% and 22.5% respectively. Among the hotels, 30.0% have adopted RET with the level of adoption stated to be moderate and low with 41.7% respectively. Solar energy technology was the most RET adopted with 83.3% of respondents. Among the hotels that have not adopted RET, 92.9% were willing to adopt RET, with all of them (100%) willing to adopt solar energy. However, 7.1% of those currently not adopting RET had previously adopted solar energy technology. Cost of maintenance of the technology, lack of expertise in maintenance and lack of spare parts were ranked first, second and third respectively as reasons for discontinuance of adoption of the technology. For the hotels that have adopted RET, appreciable savings (15%) on cost of running was made, encouraging the provision of gym and outdoor recreational facilities, thereby leading to physical wellness of their customers. There is need for major policy shift by government in favour of solar energy technology and adoption. This policy should not be on awareness alone, but also in the provision of solar energy backbones and infrastructures, training and capacity building in installation, equipment parts and maintenance of the technology in order to increase and sustain adoption in tourism sector.

Characteristics of joint use agreements in school districts in the United States: findings from the School Health Policies and Practices Study, 2012.

IntroductionJoint use or shared use of public school facilities provides community access to facilities for varied purposes. We examined a nationally representative sample of school districts in the United States to identify characteristics associated with having a formal joint use agreement (JUA) and with the kinds of uses to which JUAs apply.MethodsWe analyzed data from the 2012 School Health Policies and Practices Study. The response rate for the module containing questions about formal JUAs was 60.1% (N = 630). We used multivariate logistic regression models to examine the adjusted odds of having a formal JUA and χ2 analyses to examine differences in district characteristics associated with the uses of the JUA.ResultsAmong the 61.6% of school districts with a formal JUA, more than 80% had an agreement for the use of indoor and outdoor recreation facilities; other uses also were identified. JUAs were more common in urban than rural areas, in large than small school districts, and in the West compared with the Midwest, South, and Northeast.ConclusionIn many districts, school facilities appear to be an untapped resource for community members. Formal JUAs provide an opportunity for shared use while addressing issues of liability, cost, and logistics.