The focus of this study was on overweight adolescents and park characteristics that may encourage or discourage physical activity. Twenty overweight Malaysian adolescents (between 13 and 17 years old) participated in semi-structured interviews in which they discussed environmental characteristics of neighborhood parks that influence their physical activity and park visitation. They also described their experiences in neighborhood parks.
Three characteristics of the physical environment cited by the participants as being most preferred were adequate facilities, aesthetics quality, and proximity of the neighborhood park. They identified lack of facilities as the most significant characteristic that discouraged them from engaging in physical activity. Several participants said that they were unlikely to go to the park because it lacked sports facilities. These preferred physical characteristics are consistent with findings from other studies.
Aesthetic qualities of the park also influenced the adolescents' use of the park. Cleanliness was cited as being especially important. Other aesthetic characteristics cited included the presence of enjoyable scenery, park-like natural elements, and a large park size. The presence of trash or the general uncleanliness of a park was noted as a deterrent. This finding is also consistent with other studies.
Preferring a larger size park, however, differed somewhat from previous research. The overweight adolescents interviewed for this study indicated that they preferred a large park because they were conscious of being observed while participating in activities. They seemed concerned and insecure about their appearance.
Social factors cited by the participants as influencing their physical activity and park usage included safety and security. This was especially true for girls. While they wanted a place to socialize, they avoided going to parks they considered unsafe. The fear of gangs and drug users kept some participants from using the parks.
Overall findings indicate that both physical and social characteristics of neighborhood parks influenced the physical activity and park usage of overweight adolescents.
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