title: The First National Study of Neighborhood Parks: Implications for Physical Activity.
abstract: An extensive infrastructure of neighborhood parks supports leisure time physical activity in most U.S. cities; yet, most Americans do not meet national guidelines for physical activity. Neighborhood parks have never been assessed nationally to identify their role in physical activity.
  
  
  
  Using a stratified multistage sampling strategy, a representative sample of 174 neighborhood parks in 25 major cities (population >100,000) across the U.S. was selected. Park use, park-based physical activity, and park conditions were observed during a typical week using systematic direct observation during spring/summer of 2014. Park administrators were interviewed to assess policies and practices. Data were analyzed in 2014-2015 using repeated-measure negative binomial regressions to estimate weekly park use and park-based physical activity.
  
  
  
  Nationwide, the average neighborhood park of 8.8 acres averaged 20 users/hour or an estimated 1,533 person hours of weekly use. Walking loops and gymnasia each generated 221 hours/week of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Seniors represented 4% of park users, but 20% of the general population. Parks were used less in low-income than in high-income neighborhoods, largely explained by fewer supervised activities and marketing/outreach efforts. Programming and marketing were associated with 37% and 63% more hours of moderate to vigorous physical activity/week in parks, respectively.
  
  
  
  The findings establish national benchmarks for park use, which can guide future park investments and management practices to improve population health. Offering more programming, using marketing tools like banners and posters, and installing facilities like walking loops, may help currently underutilized parks increase population physical activity.
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California. Electronic address: dcohen@rand.org.
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: City Parks Alliance, Washington, District of Columbia.
authors.forename: Catherine J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Nagel
authors.affiliation: Trust for Public Land, Washington, District of Columbia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Harnik
authors.affiliation: School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Thomas L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: McKenzie
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Kelly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Evenson
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California.
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vaughan
authors.affiliation: City Parks Alliance, Washington, District of Columbia.
authors.forename: Sweatha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Katta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000068316:Parks, Recreational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States