Association of physical activity with park safety and park use: Variations by neighborhood racial composition

Background: Availability of places to engage in physical activity may influence levels of activity. However, low-income neighborhoods and communities of color have fewer resources to support physical activity. These disparities in access to resources can contribute to disparities in activity levels among adolescents. Methods: Using data from the 2007 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), a population-based survey of California households, we examined the association of physical activity with park availability, perceptions of safety, and park use among adolescents living in predominantly white, predominantly non-white, or mixed race neighborhoods adjusting for a range of individual, family and environmental characteristics. Results: California adolescents living in predominantly non-white neighborhoods were active on fewer days than those living in predominantly white neighborhoods (3.3 vs. 3.9, p<0.001). In regression analyses stratified by neighborhood racial composition, adolescents who recently visited a park were active on more days than adolescents with no recent park visit in all community types. Perceptions of park safety were associated with being physically active on more days per week only among adolescents living in mixed race neighborhoods. Latino adolescents were active on fewer days per week than white adolescents among those living in mixed race or predominantly white neighborhoods, but not in predominantly non-white neighborhoods. Conclusions: The current results suggest that efforts to increase use of existing parks may be a promising strategy for promoting physical activity for youth in a variety of different neighborhoods. However, targeting and adapting these efforts for particular groups such as Latinos could improve success.