Where's the space?!: Findings from the Healthy Eating, Active Communities neighborhood physical activity assessment survey in six low-income communities in California

Physical activity and nutrition are both inextricably linked to healthy living. Communities across the country have acknowledged and are starting to address disparities in access to healthy foods, but communities must also acknowledge the importance of neighborhood-level disparities in access to safe places for residents to play and be active. The six low-income communities participating in The California Endowment's Healthy Eating, Active Communities Initiative (HEAC) are working to improve access to physical activity in neighborhoods, through policy and environmental change. A multi-method evaluation is being employed to capture changes from the beginning to end of the 4-year initiative. The author will present baseline findings from 1) stakeholder surveys with more than 30 key community leaders and participants in each community's HEAC interventions, 2) spatial analysis of key physical activity assets, such as density of park space, and 3) observational neighborhood physical activity analyses. A synthesis of the data from all three sources will be presented to provide a multidimensional picture of disparities in community access to adequate physical activity spaces. Baseline findings will be linked to policies and environmental change strategies that grantees are using to promote physical activity in their neighborhoods.