REVAMP: A natural experiment to examine the impact of park renewal on park-use and park-based physical activity

2014 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. e146-e147 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Veitch ◽  
J. Salmon ◽  
A. Carver ◽  
D. Crawford ◽  
B. Giles-Corti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Natural Experiment ◽  
Park Use ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Walking on Water—A Natural Experiment of a Population Health Intervention to Promote Physical Activity after the Winter Holidays

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (19) ◽  
pp. 3627
Author(s):  
Jonathan McGavock ◽  
Nicole Brunton ◽  
Nika Klaprat ◽  
Anders Swanson ◽  
Dave Pancoe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Natural Experiment ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Annual Household Income ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
The Public ◽  
Population Health Intervention ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Urban Trail

Background: Very few experimental studies exist describing the effect of changes to the built environment and opportunities for physical activity (PA). We examined the impact of an urban trail created on a frozen waterway on visitor counts and PA levels. Methods: We studied a natural experiment in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada that included 374,204 and 237,362 trail users during the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 winter seasons. The intervention was a 10 km frozen waterway trail lasting 8–10 weeks. The comparator conditions were the time periods immediately before and after the intervention when ~10 kms of land-based trails were accessible to the public. A convenience sample of 466 participants provided directly measured PA while on the frozen waterway. Results: Most trail users were 35 years or older (73%), Caucasian (77%), and had an annual household income >$50,000 (61%). Mean daily trail network visits increased ~four-fold when the frozen waterway was open (median and interquartile range (IQR) = 710 (239–1839) vs. 2897 (1360–5583) visits/day, p < 0.001), compared with when it was closed. Users achieved medians of 3852 steps (IQR: 2574–5496 steps) and 23 min (IQR: 13–37 min) of moderate to vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) per visit, while 37% of users achieved ≥30 min of MVPA. Conclusion: A winter-specific urban trail network on a frozen waterway substantially increased visits to an existing urban trail network and was associated with a meaningful dose of MVPA. Walking on water could nudge populations living in cold climates towards more activity during winter months.

scholarly journals Examining Health-Related Effects of Refurbishment to Parks in a Lower Socioeconomic Area: The ShadePlus Natural Experiment

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (17) ◽  
pp. 6102
Author(s):  
Suzanne J. Dobbinson ◽  
Jody Simmons ◽  
James A. Chamberlain ◽  
Robert J. MacInnis ◽  
Jo Salmon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Natural Experiment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sun Protection ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Support Provision ◽  
Park Use ◽  
Lower Socioeconomic ◽  
Health Related

Degraded parks in disadvantaged areas are underutilized for recreation, which may impact long-term health. Using a natural experiment, we examined the effects of local government refurbishments to parks (n = 3 intervention; n = 3 comparison) in low socioeconomic areas (LSEA) of Melbourne on park use, health behavior, social engagement and psychological well-being. Amenities promoting physical activity and sun protection included walking paths, playground equipment and built shade. Outcomes were measured via systematic observations, and self-report surveys of park visitors over three years. The refurbishments significantly increased park use, while shade use increased only in parks with shade sails. A trend for increased social engagement was also detected. Findings infer improvement of quality, number and type of amenities in degraded parks can substantially increase park use in LSEA. Findings support provision of shade over well-designed playgrounds in future park refurbishments to enhance engagement and sun protection behavior. Further research should identify park amenities to increase physical activity.

scholarly journals Examining if changes in gender-specific and co-ed intramural programs affect youth physical activity over time: a natural experiment evaluation using school- and student-level data from the COMPASS study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen E. Burns ◽  
Ashok Chaurasia ◽  
Valerie Carson ◽  
Scott T. Leatherdale
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Natural Experiment ◽  
Sport Participation ◽  
Vigorous Physical Activity ◽  
School Level ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Gender Specific ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Background Despite the benefits of physical activity (PA), the majority of Canadian youth are falling short of the recommended 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day. School-based physical activity programs such as intramurals, are important opportunities for youth to be physically active. There is limited evidence available on the impact of gender-specific (e.g., female-only, male-only) and co-ed intramurals on youth PA over time, however, evidence suggests female-only intramurals may be important for female MVPA. This research aims to capitalize on a natural experiment to generate practice-based evidence on the impact of changes in gender-specific and co-ed intramurals on youth MVPA over time. Methods This study used linked longitudinal school- and student-level data from Ontario secondary schools in year 5 (Y5:2016–2017), year 6 (Y6: 2017–2018) and year 7 (Y7: 2018–2019) of the COMPASS study. Data on intramurals from 55 schools were used to determine the changes to gender-specific and co-ed intramurals that occurred from Y5 to Y6. Baseline demographic characteristics were measured and data on PA and sport participation were collected in Y5, Y6 and Y7 on a sample of 4417 students. Hierarchical linear mixed regression models were used to estimate how changes in gender-specific and co-ed intramurals were associated with youth MVPA over time. Results Participation in intramural, varsity and community sport were all positively and significantly associated with youth MVPA. Changes in gender-specific and co-ed intramurals were not significantly associated with youth MVPA in Y6 or Y7. However, the positive association between maintaining the addition of gender-specific intramurals on female MVPA in Y7 was on par with the significance level of α = 0.05, suggesting that adding gender-specific intramurals may be important for female MVPA. Conclusions Adding gender-specific and co-ed intramurals may not be sufficient strategies to increase PA among youth. Further research should explore the effect of gender-specific intramurals on youth PA, as this study may have been underpowered at the school-level. Gender-specific intramurals may promote a supportive PA environment that promotes MVPA, especially among females. These intramurals may be an important component of more comprehensive strategies to increase youth MVPA.

scholarly journals Randomized Informational Intervention and Adult Park Use and Park-Based Physical Activity in Low-Income, Racially Diverse Urban Neighborhoods

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Noah Wexler ◽  
Yingling Fan ◽  
Kirti V. Das ◽  
Simone French
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Urban Neighborhoods ◽  
Average Treatment Effect ◽  
Racially Diverse ◽  
Park Use ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Informational Intervention ◽  
The Impact

Background: Neighborhood parks are important locations to encourage and stimulate physical activity (PA) among the urban population. This study aims to evaluate the impact of an informational intervention on adult park use and PA behaviors in 3 low-income, racially diverse urban neighborhoods in Minneapolis, MN. Method: The study employed a household-level randomized controlled trial and collected baseline and follow-up data from 171 participants. Within each neighborhood, participants were randomized to an informational intervention or to a no-intervention comparison. Intervention households received monthly, neighborhood-specific newsletters about park-based PA opportunities, park program brochures, trail maps, and activity guides. Results: The average treatment effect of the newsletter intervention was positive yet moderated by respondent age. For a 20-year-old resident, treatment was associated with 0.97 (P < .05) additional park visits and 31.24 (P < .05) additional minutes of park-based PA over a 3-day recall period. For 40-year-old respondents, these positive effects are smaller at 0.36 (P < .05) additional visits and 4.66 (P < .05) additional minutes, respectively. Conclusions: An intervention to increase awareness about park-based PA opportunities and benefits increased self-reported park visits and in-park PA among adults who lived in low-income, racially diverse neighborhoods.

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