2007/06/25 by Andrew T. Kaczynski, Karla A. Henderson · 786 citations
Medicine · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Biology #Ecology #Medicine #Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet #Physical Activity and Health #Physical activity #Place attachment #Psychology #Recreation #Social psychology #Urban Transport and Accessibility
paper · doi:10.1080/01490400701394865
published in Leisure Sciences 29(4), 315-354 (Taylor & Francis)
crossref issued 2007/06/25 · crossref published 2007/06/25 · crossref published-online 2007/06/25 · openalex publication_date 2007/06/25 · crossref published-print 2007/06/26 · crossref created 2007/07/07 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · crossref deposited 2026/02/06 · crossref indexed 2026/08/03 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
Research on physical activity (PA) has expanded in recent years to examine environmental influences that enhance or limit the opportunities people have to be active. The purpose of this study was to review and critically examine evidence related to parks and recreation as features of the built environment and the relationship of these settings to PA. Fifty studies were retrieved from four major databases that reported an empirical relationship between parks or recreation variables and PA variables. Mixed associations with PA were observed for different types of parks or recreation settings, while proximity to parks or recreation was generally associated with increased PA. Shortcomings exist in this literature and many opportunities for researching parks, recreation, and active living are evident for the future.