Park and Recreational Facility Availability, Leisure-Time Physical Activity, Socioeconomic Status, and Race

2025/10/04 by Mikihiro Sato, Lance Warwick, Nick Pitas +1 · 1 citation
Environmental Science · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Physical activity #Public park #Race (biology) #Recreation #Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management #Socioeconomic status #Urban Green Space and Health #Urban Transport and Accessibility

paper · doi:10.1080/01490400.2025.2566939

crossref issued 2025/10/04 · crossref published 2025/10/04 · crossref published-online 2025/10/04 · openalex publication_date 2025/10/04 · crossref created 2025/10/04 · crossref deposited 2025/10/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · crossref indexed 2026/08/04 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04

Abstract

Research suggests that parks and recreational facilities play a critical role in providing physical activity opportunities within communities. However, the evidence for a positive association between parks and recreational facilities and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) remains uncertain. Drawing on the social-ecological model, we analyzed two years of county-level data to explore the extent to which park and recreational facility availability, socioeconomic status, and racial composition are associated with LTPA prevalence in U.S. counties. The results of a multilevel beta regression analysis within a Bayesian framework revealed a small yet positive association between park and recreational facility availability and LTPA prevalence in the county. Additionally, this association was stronger in counties with higher median household income and a greater percentage of non-Hispanic White residents. These findings suggest that, while increasing park and recreational facility availability can enhance LTPA prevalence, its benefits are attenuated in traditionally marginalized populations.

Citations

• Environmental Correlates of Physical Activity: A Review of Evidence about Parks and Recreation
• Understanding predictive information criteria for Bayesian models
• AN ECOLOGICAL APPROACH TO CREATING ACTIVE LIVING COMMUNITIES
• Translating Social Ecological Theory into Guidelines for Community Health Promotion
• R-squared for Bayesian Regression Models
• Statistical Rethinking: A Bayesian Course with Examples in R and Stan

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