Recreation Participation Research Articles

Epidemiology of Concussive Injuries in Collegiate Recreational Athletes

Concussion rates are commonly reported in high school and National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) sports. Given that participation in collegiate recreation is on the rise, institutions should examine concussion rates within their recreational programs. We, therefore, retrospectively examined a recreational department's injury reports establishing concussion rates across ( n = 16) club and ( n = 10) intramural sports at a public university in the southeastern United States from 2016 to 2019. One hundred and thirty-five concussions (club n = 56; intramural n = 79) were identified and constituted 12.4% of documented injuries ( n = 1,088). The intramural concussion rate was 0.57 per 1,000 athletic exposures (AEs) and AE was greatest in outdoor soccer (0.99 per 1,000 AE). Therefore, our data suggests an increased incidence of concussions in intramurals compared to published rates in NCAA and high school sports. Collegiate recreational departments should consider these concussion rates when formulating risk management strategies.

Abstract TP85: Neighborhood Built Environment May Not Influence Reintegration to Normal Living Post-Stroke

Introduction: Reintegration to normal living post-stroke is important to foster peer support and recovery. Reintegration may be facilitated through neighborhood resources and out-of-home facilities. Methods: The Discharge Educational Strategies for Reduction of Vascular Events (DESERVE) intervention randomized stroke survivors to skills-based intervention or usual care with the goal of improving post-stroke blood pressure. Three domains of reintegration to normal living (RINL) through daily functioning (community mobility, recreational, and social activity participation) at 12-months post-stroke were evaluated. Participants’ addresses were linked to census tract area density of community resources from the National Neighborhood Data Archive. Recreational, arts, entertainment, religious, social and civil, and personal care resources were assessed in separate linear regression models for related RINL domains first unadjusted and then adjusting for age, race-ethnicity, gender, education, insurance status, number of identified alters, intervention status, and stroke severity. Loss-to-follow-up was accounted for using inverse probability weights. Results: Of the 546 DESERVE participants, 342 responded to 12-month RINL elements. Respondents were 64.9 years on average (SD=12.1) with a median NIHSS of 2.0 (IQR=4.0). The median level of RINL for each domain was the maximum (10). Comparing high to low, resource densities were not associated with any of the RINL domains in unadjusted or adjusted models ( Figure ). Conclusion: In our novel exploration of neighborhood resources and RINL, the density of these built environment resources did not seem to influence individuals’ reintegration to normal living 12-months post-stroke. However, the metric of reintegration had a ceiling effect; future evaluations may need to consider different tools to better identify more sensitive metrics of reintegration post-stroke.

“We Try [to] Take the Barriers Away For You to Come in”: Active Recreation Contexts as Leisure Facilitators

Active recreation spaces provide important contexts for physical activity that can contribute to positive physical and mental health outcomes. However, individuals often face constraints which can limit their participation in active recreation. Although some constraints can be negotiated at the individual level, organizations may also take actions to facilitate participation. Extensive research has examined individual constraints to active recreation and constraint negotiation strategies, but there is a lack of research on how recreation agencies and organizations work to facilitate participation in active recreation. Recognizing this gap, we sought to understand facilitators of physically active recreation at the contextual level, with a larger goal of identifying the organizational facilitators that recreation providers use to encourage participation. This qualitative study of recreation providers included semi-structured focus groups conducted online with staff and program leaders at recreation organizations providing physically active programming in a college town in the northeastern United States. Focus groups were transcribed verbatim, coded both deductively and inductively using thematic analysis, and validated with qualitative techniques (e.g., consensus across coders). Results aligned with four themes: philosophy/culture, staff/volunteers, marketing, and program actions. These themes illustrate the actions taken by providers to encourage and support participation across various levels of their organizational operations. Our data provide evidence of specific facilitation strategies used by recreation providers, aligning with constraints and constraint negotiation strategies identified in previous research, as well as with business practices not typically viewed through this lens. The present study highlights the need for better integration of individual- and organizational-level research. By better understanding constraints faced by current and potential participants, providers can be more intentional in aligning their practices with the facilitation of participation. Recreation providers can use the facilitation strategies identified in this study to support constraint negotiation and better enable engagement in active recreation.

The Effect of Place Attachment and Leisure Identity on Wildland Stewardship

With increasing outdoor recreation participation in the U.S., managers face the challenge of balancing visitor experiences with the protection of natural resources. To address declining management capacity, agencies seek to involve both new and established recreationists in local stewardship behaviors. However, community involvement in stewardship efforts is hindered by a lack of understanding of the connection between recreationists’ antecedent conditions and their behavioral intentions. This study focuses on a wildland recreation setting near a western U.S. city to examine the relationship between place attachment, leisure identity salience, and local environmental stewardship behavioral intention. The results show that place identity influences willingness to engage in place-specific proactive stewardship, while leisure identity is predictive of engagement in Leave-No-Trace behaviors. The findings highlight the importance of targeting place and leisure identity in messaging strategies and forming partnerships with recreation organizations to encourage stewardship and engage the local community in land management.

Social capital as a moderator of the relationship between violent community environment and psychological distress

ObjectiveTo evaluate the modifying effect of social capital on the relationship between living in violent communities and the presence of psychological distress in adolescents and youth in Mexico. MethodThe analysis of the Social Cohesion Survey for the Prevention of Violence and Crime (ECOPRED, by its acronym in Spanish) was conducted. The analytic sample consisted of 39,639 participants aged 12 to 29 years. Community violence and social capital were measured at the census tract level using the average answers of a household's head sample. These environmental variables were independent of the experiences of the participants. Social capital variables included structural (social ties, recreational participation, collaborative participation, and social cohesion), and cognitive (trust in neighbors) dimensions. Multilevel structural equation models were used. ResultsRecreational participation, collaborative participation, and social cohesion modified the relationship between community environments and psychological distress. In females who lived in places with less recreational participation or less social cohesion, the higher the social disorder, the higher the psychological distress. A similar relationship between vandalism and psychological distress was identified, but only in males who lived in places with less collaborative participation, and in females with less social cohesion. ConclusionsOur results suggest that dimensions of the structural social capital (organization and interest in the community and its members) were the ones that had the buffering effect of the exposure to disordered community environments on psychological distress.

Towards a Healthy Urban Lifestyle: Examining Residents’ Motivators to Outdoor Recreation in Nassarawa-Kano

Outdoor recreation is currently one of the most influential domains where participation directly affects individual health, families, and communities. This expectation can motivate individuals in many ways to engage in outdoor recreation activities. This paper investigates residents’ motivators for outdoor recreation in Nassarawa, Kano, as stimuli for promoting a healthy urban life. The study employed a descriptive survey design to collect information from residents using a structured questionnaire (n=400). Cluster and systematic random sampling techniques were utilized to administer the questionnaires to target respondents. A total of 386 completed questionnaires were retrieved and used for the analysis, resulting in a response rate of 96.5%. Data collected were analyzed using frequencies, mean scores, ranking, and cross-tabulation. The findings revealed that maintaining good health condition (M=4.15), keeping physically fit (M=4.09), and having fun (M=3.92) were the most agreed-upon motivators for participation in outdoor recreation in the study area, ranked 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, respectively. The study asserts that these motivators influence residents’ participation in outdoor recreation in Nassarawa, Kano metropolis across different age groups and have significantly impacted the physical, mental, and social health of the residents. The study concludes by recommending that greater participation would contribute to more vibrant and healthy communities. Therefore, efforts should be made to enlighten people further about the importance of outdoor recreation participation as a promoter of social cohesion.

АГРОТУРИЗМ ЯК СТРАТЕГІЧНИЙ НАПРЯМ ПІДВИЩЕННЯ РІВНЯ ДОХОДУ ФЕРМЕРСЬКИХ ГОСПОДАРСТВ УКРАЇНИ

The purpose of the study is to outline the circle of strategic directions for the development of agrarian tourism in the context of increasing the profitability of Ukrainian farms. At the same time, the actual strategic possibility of increasing income and development of rural areas was emphasized. Farmers are shown how to further monetize their resources by attracting the attention of tourists through the provision of various services, from tours to participation in agricultural work and recreation in the countryside, which potentially become new sources of income, which contributes to the diversification of the farm and the expansion of its functions. The authors proposed a number of approaches to infrastructure development, in particular, from hotels and restaurants to communications and roads, which in turn attract tourists and support local businesses. Here are suggestions for farmers to interact directly with buyers by offering their goods and services directly. It is emphasized that this not only increases profits, but also creates a market for the sale of local agricultural products. The attention of entrepreneurs is drawn to ecological benefits, preservation of traditions, which strengthens the pride of the local population and promotes cultural exchange. From an ecological perspective, agritourism emphasizes the importance of sustainable agriculture, attracting environmentally educated tourists. The article examines the key aspects of agritourism as an innovative approach to supporting farms in Ukraine. As a result, the potential advantages of agritourism, such as additional income, development of rural areas and attraction of new investors, were analyzed. The main principles and strategies of successful implementation of agro-tourism projects have been studied. In general, it was emphasized that agritourism can be a key strategic direction for Ukrainian farms in increasing incomes and sustainable development. However, success requires partnerships with the community, development of marketing strategies and adherence to high quality standards. The correct implementation of agritourism in the context of its practical implementation can turn rural areas into attractive points for tourists and ensure the sustainable development of Ukrainian farms.

Sport, Exercise, Recreation and e-Sport Participation in Malaysia

Sport, Exercise, Recreation and e-Sport Participation in Malaysia

Investigation of the Relationship Between High School Students' Level of Participation in Recreation Activities and Their Time Management

This study aimed to examine the relationship between recreation participation levels and time management of high school students studying in different high schools. In the study, the relational screening model was used as part of the survey model. The data collection tool of the study consisted of three parts: personal information form, "Recreation Participation Scale" developed by Procidano and Heller (1983) and adapted into Turkish by Sevil (2015) and "Time Management Scale" developed by Britton and Tesser (1991) and translated into Turkish by Alay and Koçak (2002). The study group consisted of students of Incirliova Sports High School, Nazilli Science High School, Bozdoğan İsmet Sezgin Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School and Bozdoğan Anatolian High School in Aydın province in the 2022-2023 academic. Statistically, frequency analysis, reliability coefficient calculations, Pearson correlation analysis and Manova analysis were performed. The analyses were performed by adhering to a 95% confidence interval. A statistically significant difference was detected between the participants' recreational activity and gender, grade and doing sport variables, the cognitive activity sub-dimension and gender variable, the mean score of recreation participation and doing sport variable, and the time management of the participants and gender, high school type, income and doing sport variables (p<0.05). As a result, high school students have moderate levels of participation in recreational activities and time management. Participation of the high school students in recreational activities also decreased as their time management levels increased.

INTRINSIC VS. EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION AMONG RECREATIONAL CROSSFIT ATHLETES: A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION

Research has shown that many types of recreational athletes are intrinsically rather than extrinsically motivated to participate in their sport. Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine if recreational CrossFit participants are inclined to be more intrinsically or extrinsically motivated to participate in their sport. Methods: Participants were recruited from a local CrossFit gym in Southern Utah where they were provided a QR code linked to the Sports Motivation Scale II (SMS II survey). The SMS II survey assess 6 subscales of motivation regulation (intrinsic, integrated, identified, introjected, external, and non). Each of the 18 SMS II survey questions is scored on a Likert scale of 1-7 on a continuum of “Does not correspond at all” to “Corresponds completely”. For the purpose of the study, CrossFit participants were considered to as athletes. Results: The SMS II subscale scores were as follows (mean±SD): intrinsic (5.7±1.3), integrated (5.5±1.1), identified (6.2±1.0), introjected (4.6±1.3), external (2.4±1.4), and non (1.7±1.1). The Identified regulation subscale scores were greater than all other subscales scores (p<0.05). The Intrinsic and Integrated regulation subscale scores were similar and greater than Introjected, External and Non regulation subscale scores (p<0.05). The Introjected regulation subscale scores were greater than the External and Non regulation subscale scores (p<0.05). The External regulation subscale scores were greater than the Non regulation subscores (p<0.05). Conclusions: Within the parameters of this study, it appears that recreational CrossFit participants find motivation within themselves to participate in CrossFit training style exercise sessions.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0018/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Qualification characteristics of the professions of workers in the field of physical education and sports rehabilitation

The authors of the article emphasize that in the modern period, the state of health of the population of Ukraine is a significant challenge to society and, without exaggeration, poses a real threat to human security. The search for ways to preserve and develop the nation and strengthen its health should be addressed to the teaching community, which is increasingly aware of its responsibility for the physical, social and psychological well-being of the future generation.
 The article describes the qualification characteristics of such professions of workers in the field of physical education and sports rehabilitation as “Instructor of physical culture and sports rehabilitation”, “Specialist of physical culture and sports rehabilitation” and “Physical culture and sports rehabilitation therapist”.
 The authors emphasizes that workers in the field of physical culture and sports rehabilitation should plan and implement measures of physical culture and sports rehabilitation aimed at restoring and compensating for the functional capabilities of the human body, its physical condition through physical education and sports.
 It is indicated that employees in the field of physical culture and sports rehabilitation should cooperate with employees of the system of physical culture and sports institutions for persons with disabilities “Invasport” to involve persons with disabilities and their support for participation in physical culture, sports and rehabilitation activities among persons with disabilities with lesions of the musculoskeletal system, visual, hearing, mental and physical development and different age groups.
 It is noted that workers in the field of physical culture and sports rehabilitation should cooperate with specialists from centers for comprehensive rehabilitation for children and youth with disabilities to involve persons with disabilities in participation in physical culture and recreation, mass and sports events.

Perceived constraints to participating in wildlife-related recreation

Wildlife-related recreationists play an important role in conservation. Understanding constraints to wildlife-related activities is critical for maintaining or increasing participation in activities like birdwatching and hunting. A mail-out survey was administered to a generalized sample representative of U.S. residents (i.e., not specific to birdwatching or hunting) in early 2017 to determine what would limit them from participating in birdwatching and hunting (n = 1030). We employed a concurrent nested mixed-methods design: open-ended responses were thematically coded qualitatively in two distinct cycles (i.e., inductive, and then mixed inductive-deductive coding), and then the probability of expressing the second cycle codes was quantitatively modeled using multinomial logit models for the respective activities. Doing so empirically determined various groups’ constraints that are important to recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) efforts for birdwatching and hunting. We found that the likelihood of experiencing unique constraints varied based on sociodemographic characteristics, and these relationships differed between birdwatching and hunting. Gender had a limited effect on constraints to birdwatching but was a strong indicator of intrapersonal constraints and limitations to involvement in hunting. The likelihood of expressing structural constraints decreased with age for both activities. Possessing strong social ties to the activities tended to reduce the likelihood of expressing constraints overall but this was especially true for hunting. Our findings inform R3 efforts for wildlife-related recreation and provide direct results that organizations can apply in seeking to help Americans negotiate constraints and increase and diversify participation in wildlife-related recreation and conservation behavior. Management implicationsOur results have implications for recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) efforts to increase participation in birdwatching and hunting. Those seeking to increase participation in birdwatching should prioritize younger segments of the population because they expressed more constraints than older segments except for limited capacity to participate. For hunting, gender was a key variable in determining expressed constraints; identifying as female increased the likelihood of expressing intrapersonal constraints and limitations in involvement. For both activities, possessing strong social ties (i.e., family, and close friends) to both activities were effective in decreasing the likelihood of expressing many constraints. Organizations seeking to recruit new participants to birdwatching or hunting should develop programs that encourage existing participants to involve friends and family with the activities and foster interest in the activities among non-participants.

Initial Development and Validation of the Campus Recreation Constraints and Negotiations Questionnaire

Despite the known benefits of campus recreation participation, many students do not engage with the programs and services offered on college campuses. College students report factors that constrain leisure time physical activity within the context of campus recreation. Examining the constraints and negotiation strategies of college students specific to the use of campus recreation facilities and programs is understudied and lacks validated instruments. The purpose of this study was to develop and report initial validity and reliability of the Campus Recreation Constraints and Negotiation Questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to evaluate two independent scales. Psychometric properties including construct validity, internal structure, and reliability are reported from two different samples of college students. Practical implications for campus recreation programming and marketing efforts are discussed.

A Collaborative Approach to Support Participation in Physical Recreation for Preschool Students with Multiple Disabilities: A Case Series

Aims: To evaluate a collaborative participation-based therapy approach for two preschool students with multiple disabilities from the experience of Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams, highlighting the perspective of the physical therapist. Methods: The phases of collaborative participation-based therapy were implemented: (a) collaborative relationships were developed and supported within the IEP teams, (b) collaborative meaningful physical recreation goals were developed for participation at school, (c) strengths and needs assessments using the “Collaborative Process for Action Plans to Achieve Participation Goals” were conducted with IEP teams, (d) participation-based interventions were provided, and (e) goal achievement and processes were evaluated. The use of technology for collaboration was encouraged. The physical therapist kept intervention logs and wrote reflective journal entries. Interventions adhered to COVID-19 regulations. Goal achievement was measured using Goal Attainment Scaling. IEP team members completed questionnaires on their experiences. Results: One student met their goal expectation, and one student exceeded their goal expectation. The students were engaged, and IEP team members’ experiences were positive. Conclusions: The use of participation-based therapy is meaningful, feasible, and acceptable to IEP teams. Team collaboration and flexibility were instrumental to successful implementation. Strategies to promote effective communication and the use of technology would support a participation-based therapy approach.

Knee function and quality of life in adolescent soccer players with Osgood Shlatter disease history: a preliminary study

The aim of the study was to assess psycho-physical deficits among young athletes with history of Osgood Shlatter Disease (OSD-H) compared to adolescents without history of knee pain (Control group). Eighteen participants were recruited from a group of 80 young (U14–U17) male soccer players. Medical records, and Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) were performed from both groups. The tests were conducted to assess the anthropometric characteristics, knee and ankle range of motion (Ely’s and Weight Bearing Lunge tests), and muscle power of the lower limbs (Leg Press, Single Leg Countermovement Jump, and Single Leg Hop for Distance). Results showed that overall patient-relevant outcomes following OSD (87%) were significantly lower than in the Control group (95%) (p < 0.05). Scores of the KOOS subscales revealed that Quality of Life and Function, Sports and recreational activities were significantly lower in the OSD-H group (p < 0.05). Although, there were no differences in subscale scores for Pain, Symptoms and Daily Activities. There were, also no difference between groups in range of motion angles and muscle power of the lower limbs values. The preliminary results support existing knowledge indicate that OSD may have a long-term influence on function, sports and recreational participation, and quality of life on young athletes.

The Influence of Parents’ Outdoor Recreation Preferences on Children’s Outdoor Activities in State Parks

Parents play a vital role in influencing their children’s outdoor recreation participation. Families can enjoy nature and stay active in state parks, which provide abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation and education. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between parents’ experiences with, and attitudes toward, outdoor recreation and children’s participation in outdoor recreation for one state park system. A total of 104 parents completed an online survey in spring 2020. In these state park settings, parents generally valued their children’s participation in nonconsumptive outdoor recreation activities more than consumptive activities. A series of chi-square analyses further indicated, however, that parents who prefer engaging in consumptive recreation activities placed higher importance on their children’s participation in the consumptive activities of fishing and hunting. Parents’ outdoor recreation activity preferences did not reflect differences in their own levels of physical activity but did relate to variations in their children’s physical activity levels.

Fad or Renaissance? Motivational and demographic characteristics of USDA Forest Service recreationists during and after the pandemic

While there have been a host of studies investigating the COVID-19 pandemic's influence on outdoor recreation, few have investigated the socio-demographic composition and motivations of visitors who increased their outdoor recreation during this period and if these users will continue recreating at the same level as the pandemic wanes. This study surveyed visitors to the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests (NPNF) within the US state of North Carolina to identify if rising outdoor recreation participation is solely a result of the pandemic or more indicative of a renaissance. Demographic and motivational differences between those whose recreation decreased, stayed the same or increased during the pandemic were also analyzed to see if these patterns remain stable one year after the pandemic. The sample of 1594 visitors from Georgia (n = 483), South Carolina (n = 682), and North Carolina (n = 429) indicate growth in visitation to the NPNF is not just a fad but more of a renaissance with continued high levels of visitation forecasted after the pandemic. Results also show that outdoor recreationists characterized as more ethnically diverse with lower income and educational levels had visitation levels to the forest that increased during the pandemic compared to the outdoor recreationists who were White, more affluent, and highly educated. However, these changes appear to reverse moving out of the pandemic as these more diverse users mention having greater structural, interpersonal, and intrapersonal constraints. Managers who seek social and environmental justice with the provisioning of outdoor recreation should follow-up with these more diverse users to better understand their satisfaction with the FS experience during the pandemic and identify strategies to help them negotiate constraints limiting their outdoor recreation. Management implicationsFor public land managers, these findings suggest that increased visitation levels are here to stay. The results also suggest that the pandemic provided users with more diverse backgrounds the space and time to recreate during the pandemic. Unfortunately, it appears that the challenges of everyday life may limit this group from continuing to recreate at the level they did during the pandemic. Managers should take advantage of this opportunity to try to understand these more diverse users and why they anticipate their participation in outdoor recreation dropping as we move out of the pandemic.

Ethical Prescribing of Psychotropic Medications for People with Neurodevelopmental Disorders

ObjectivesPeople with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and autism are subjected to restrictive practices like physical restraint and the overuse of psychotropic medications for challenging behaviour in the absence of a psychiatric disorder. This practice may lead to human rights violations. Rational and evidence-based shared decision-making for person-centred planning will help reduce this practice.MethodsWe have discussed in this paper the issue of the overmedication of people with NDD, explaining how this practice may violate the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).ResultsWe have discussed how the following UN CRPD Articles may be affected by overmedication, including Article 15 (degrading treatment or punishment), 16 (abuse), 17 (the integrity of the person), and 25 (health). The other Articles that may be indirectly affected by this practice are 5 (equality and non-discrimination), 9 (accessibility), 19 (independent living and community inclusion), 21 (access to information), 24 (education), 26 (rehabilitation), 27 (work and employment), 28 (adequate living standard), and 30 (participation in recreation and leisure).ConclusionsOvermedication of people with NDD, particularly the off-licence use of psychotropics for challenging behaviour, the side effects of these medications impacting the person’s quality of life are likely to violet several UN Articles on Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Following the right guidelines may help reduce these human rights violations.

Physical Activity and Bladder Cancer Risk: Findings of the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study.

The association of physical activity with the risk of bladder cancer remains inconsistent among Asian populations. We aimed to examine the association in a large Japanese cohort. In a population-based prospective cohort study, a total of 50,374 Japanese adults aged 40-79 years without a history of cancer or cardiovascular disease who had information on physical activity from self-administrated questionnaires were used for analysis. We performed Cox proportional hazard models to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident bladder cancer after adjusting for several potential confounders. During the median 17.5 years of follow-up, 153 incident bladder cancers (116 men and 37 women) were identified. After the multivariable adjustment, HRs (95% CI) of bladder cancer concerning those with recreational sports participation of 1-2 hr/wk, 3-4 hr/wk, and 5 hr/wk and more were 0.67 (0.38-1.20), 0.79 (0.36-1.74), and 0.28 (0.09-0.89), respectively (p for trend=0.017). Compared with mostly sitting at the workplace, occupational physical activity of standing and walking were associated with a lower risk of bladder cancer (HR, 0.53 [95% CI, 0.32 to 0.85]). Hours of daily walking were not associated with the risk. The lower risk of bladder cancer was more evident for recreational sports (HR, 0.33 [95% CI, 0.10 to 1.00]), and for occupational standing and walking activity at work (HR, 0.57 [95% CI, 0.33 to 0.98]) among men. Recreational sports participation and occupational physical activity were inversely associated with the risk of bladder cancer among Japanese, especially in men.

A. J. Veal and Awais Piracha: meeting the need for a rational basis for open space and recreation planning in new high density residential areas: the Recreational Activity Benchmark model, Australian Planner, 2022. A rebuttal

ABSTRACT Veal and Piracha propose an alternate approach to planning recreation provision in new high-density residential areas (NHDA’s) of Australian cities: the RAB or ‘Recreation Activity Benchmark’ (Veal and Piracha 2022). Sydney is used as a case study. This paper contends that the methodology has a range of substantive deficiencies and ignores other well-established planning approaches that have been developed, tested and refined through hundreds of plans prepared by in-house and consulting leisure planners over the past 50 years in Australia and detailed in a range of texts and planning manuals. In applying the Recreation Activities Benchmark (RAB), provision of physical leisure resources is made on the basis of ‘averaging’ the recreation activities that people pursue to determine what facilities they need in the wider city in which the NHDA occurs. The averages are then applied to a projected NHDA population. This review questions the lack of a philosophical and planning basis of the RAB; the need for the RAB methodology; what ‘average’ means in terms of recreation participation; how the average is ‘adjusted’ if sufficient space is not available; the fact that the average used in the methodology has been selected solely to avoid possible legal action by developers, and the fact that the RAB is no different to a provision ‘standard’, given the reliance on data that has inherent shortcomings. The rebuttal concludes by questioning the need for the methodology.