title: Do physical activity facilities near schools affect physical activity in high school girls?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate associations between the number of physical activity facilities within walking distance of school and physical activity behavior in 12th grade girls during after-school hours.
  
  
  METHODS
  Girls (N=1394) from 22 schools completed a self-report to determine physical activity after 3:00 p.m. The number of physical activity facilities within a 0.75-mile buffer of the school was counted with a Geographic Information System. Associations between the number of facilities and girls' physical activity were examined using linear mixed-model analysis of variance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, girls who attended schools with ≥5 facilities within the buffer reported more physical activity per day than girls in schools with <5 facilities. In addition, girls who attended rural schools with ≥5 facilities reported ∼12% more physical activity per day than girls who attended rural schools with <5 facilities. No difference existed for girls in urban/suburban schools with ≥5 vs. <5 facilities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When school siting decisions are made, the number of physical activity facilities surrounding the school should be considered to encourage physical activity in 12th grade girls.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Research Center, University of South Carolina, Suite 212, 921 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA. trilk@mailbox.sc.edu
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Trilk
authors.forename: Dianne S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Marsha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dowda
authors.forename: Karin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
authors.forename: Dwayne E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hibbert
authors.forename: Russell R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Pate
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D009043:Motor Activity; D011998:Recreation; D012574:Schools; D012931:Social Environment; D013022:South Carolina