Participation and Physical Activity in Recreovia of Bucaramanga, Colombia

Abstract

Background: Open Streets initiatives have allowed for physical activity (PA) in cities worldwide. However, few studies have evaluated the use of small Open Streets in low- and middle-income countries, such as those in Latin America. Thus, this study aimed to describe participation and PA level of users in the Recreovia program in Bucaramanga, Colombia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during 5 Sundays from September to November 2017. Recreovia use was evaluated at 4 strategic points according to street accessibility (2 points) and aerobics class areas (2 points), using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities. Results: A total of 38,577 observations were made (34,969 on streets and 3608 in aerobics class areas). Men (63%) and adults (62%), with moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) (98%) were observed on streets. The most common PAs were biking (50%), walking/dog walking (36%), and jogging (9%). In aerobics class areas, the most common groups were female (65%) and adults (89%). Participants were engaged in moderate to vigorous PA (91%). Conclusion: Measurement of number of participants at moderate to vigorous levels of PA was high. A difference between sexes and age in these street and aerobic class area groups was also observed.

Physical culture in the context of modern philosophical anthropology

“…The authors recommend increasing the number of outdoor games. A similar view is held by Paredes Prada [11]. The authors believe that Open Streets initiatives will allow physical activity in cities around the world.…”

“…Therefore, there is an urgent need for various forms of physical culture. One of the most important in this context is health and recreational physical activity [6][7][8][9][10][11] and of course sport in all its manifestations [12][13][14][15][16].…”

What Is the Contribution of Community Programs to the Physical Activity of Women? A Study Based on Public Open Spaces in Brazil

“…Similarly, Evenson et al [ 28 ] found a significant increase of about 10 min/day (56%) on park visitation days. The greater magnitude of the difference observed in our study can be explained by the greater exposure to POS and the context of high-intensity, organized PA with professional guidance [ 23 , 24 ]. Also, the high-intensity PA observed while in the POS could be explained by the social support received during the classes [ 46 , 47 ].…”

“…Also, POS availability, proximity, access, quality, and offered activity can stimulate interest, making them more attractive and facilitating their usage for leisure activities, including PA and sports in the community [ 5 , 9 , 17 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ]. In Colombia, the aerobics classes available in POS are more attractive and encourage high PA levels among women [ 23 , 24 ].…”

Use of an Elevated Avenue for Leisure-Time Physical Activity by Adults from Downtown São Paulo, Brazil

“…The problem is the lack of studies evaluating the effectiveness of these interventions in increasing PA in adults living in lowand middle-income countries. Evidence shows that open streets provide opportunities for many PA types, such cycling, walking, running, and skating [24]. The evaluation of program effectiveness shows that 60% of participants of an open street accumulated enough LTPA to meet the recommended PA levels for health, demonstrating the program's cost-effectiveness from a public health perspective [25,26].…”