title: Park availability and physical activity, TV time, and overweight and obesity among women: Findings from Australia and the United States.
abstract: This study examined relationships between three measures of park availability and self-reported physical activity (PA), television viewing (TV) time, and overweight/obesity among women from Australia and the United States. Having more parks near home was the only measure of park availability associated with an outcome. Australian women (n=1848) with more parks near home had higher odds of meeting PA recommendations and lower odds of being overweight/obese. In the US sample (n=489), women with more parks near home had lower odds of watching >4h TV per day. A greater number of parks near home was associated with lower BMI among both Australian and US women. Evidence across diverse contexts provides support to improve park availability to promote PA and other health behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia. Electronic address: jenny.veitch@deakin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Veitch
authors.affiliation: Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia. Electronic address: gavin.abbott@deakin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Gavin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abbott
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Prevention Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, USA. Electronic address: atkaczyn@mailbox.sc.edu.
authors.forename: Andrew T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Kaczynski
authors.affiliation: Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA. Electronic address: sonjaws@missouri.edu.
authors.forename: Sonja A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Wilhelm Stanis
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Digital Health Sciences, College of Allied Health Sciences, Augusta University. Electronic address: gbesenyi@gru.edu.
authors.forename: Gina M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Besenyi
authors.affiliation: Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia. Electronic address: karen.lamb@deakin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Lamb
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D000068316:Parks, Recreational / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D057566:Self Report; D013690:Television / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: Availability; Overweight; Parks; Physical activity; Television viewing time; Women