Childhood obesity and proximity to urban parks and recreational resources: A longitudinal cohort study

Wolch, J., Jerrett, M., Reynolds, K., McConnell, R., Chang, R., Dahmann, N., … Berhane, K. (2011). Childhood obesity and proximity to urban parks and recreational resources: A longitudinal cohort study. Health & Place, 17(1), 8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2010.10.001

Children with better access to public parks and recreation programs are less likely to have significant increases in BMI over timeWolch and colleagues investigated whether proximity to parks and recreational programs impacts the development of childhood obesity. They place the purpose of the study in the context of obesity as a serious and growing health problem, citing the statistical trends. They also offer the perspective that attributes of the urban built environment might contribute to opportunities for increased physical activity and associated reductions in obesity.

Researchers gathered information on over 3,000 children, aged 9-10, from 12 communities in Southern California over an 8-year period. As part of this study, participants completed surveys and researchers measured children's height and weight on an annual basis. In addition, researchers evaluated public parks and recreation programs around children's homes.

Wolch and colleagues found that 20% of children did not have access to recreation programs within 10km of their home and that over 50% of children did not have a park within 500m of their home. In examining the relationship between access to parks and recreation programs and children's body mass index (BMI), researchers found that children with better access to parks within 500m of their homes and recreation programs within 10km of their homes had a reduced risk of being overweight or obese at age 18. Wolch and colleagues found that the impact of recreation programs and parks was stronger for boys than girls and that the impact of recreation programs on BMI was stronger than that of parks.

This study provides a valuable contribution to the literature and demonstrates the important role that public parks and recreation programs can play in reducing the risk of childhood obesity. The researchers offer a series of recommendations to reduce childhood obesity based on the results of their study. They recommend increased access to varied, age-appropriate recreational programs close to children’s homes; increased access to parklands and related investments in street trees and other green cover that can help promote activities such as biking and walking; use of measures to promote safe walkability, such as traffic calming and crossing guard programs; and increased public funding to provide access to parks and recreational programs for children in poor and low-income communities.

 

The Bottom Line

Children with better access to public parks and recreation programs are less likely to have significant increases in BMI over time