title: Neighborhood, family and individual characteristics related to adolescent park-based physical activity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Local parks are an important community resource that may influence levels of physical activity among youth. However, few population-based studies have investigated park-based physical activity among youth.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examines sociodemographic, family, and neighborhood characteristics associated with park-based physical activity among adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were from the 2007 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), a population-based survey of California households, and were analyzed in 2012-2013 and 2015. This study examined individual (age, gender, race/ethnicity, and nativity), family (household income, parental education, and nativity), and neighborhood characteristics (urbanicity, perceived park availability, perceived park safety, neighborhood income, and racial composition) associated with engaging in park-based physical activity among adolescents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In California, 71% of adolescents reported being physically active the last time they visited a park. In adjusted multinomial logistic regression analyses, older adolescents and females were less likely to be physically active in parks. Adolescents with a park within walking distance of home and those with a safe park nearby were more likely to be physically active during a park visit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Park availability and perceptions of park safety are important predictors of engaging in park-based physical activity among adolescents. These findings provide information that can help inform interventions intended to increase physical activity among youth. Strategies that increase availability and safety of parks and other recreation spaces may be particularly effective.
authors: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, 10960 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1550, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA; Department of Health Policy and Management, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, 650 Charles Young Dr. S., 31-269 CHS Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772, USA. Electronic address: sbabey@ucla.edu.
authors: Susan H
authors: SH
authors: Babey
authors: Department of Health Policy and Management, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, 650 Charles Young Dr. S., 31-269 CHS Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772, USA.
authors: Diane
authors: D
authors: Tan
authors: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, 10960 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1550, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA; Department of Health Policy and Management, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, 650 Charles Young Dr. S., 31-269 CHS Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772, USA.
authors: Joelle
authors: J
authors: Wolstein
authors: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, 10960 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1550, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA; Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 911 Broxton Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA.
authors: Allison L
authors: AL
authors: Diamant
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002140:California; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004779:Environment Design; D015444:Exercise; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011633:Public Facilities; D011998:Recreation; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012449:Safety
keywords: Adolescent; Adolescent health; Park-based physical activity; Parks; Physical activity; Youth