Perception of square and park characteristics and physical activity practice among High School students

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the association between perception of the characteristics of square/parks (infrastructure, conservation, esthetics, safety, distance from residence, and access) and physical activity among high school students from the public network. It is a cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach and a random sample of 168 adolescents (40.3% male adolescents), 14 to 18 years of age, from the city of Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil. Perception of square/park characteristics was assessed through six questions about the characteristics of the neighborhood where students lived. Physical activity was measured by a question adopted in the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, those who answered that performed physical activity five times a week or more were classified as sufficiently active. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, Pearson chi-square test and Poisson regression, with robust covariance matrix. The results of the adjusted analysis indicated that adolescents who answered that the square/park is not far from their home had a prevalence ratio of 2.82 (95% CI: 1.31-11.22). It is concluded that perceiving the presence of a square/park near the place of residence increases the probability of physical activity practicing. KeywordsAdolescents; Public Health; Physical Activity. de prevalência 2,82 (IC95%: 1,22). Conclui-se que perceber a presença de praça/parque próximas do local de residência aumenta a Resumo

Which physical and social characteristics of Brazilian cities contribute to physical activity of adolescents?

“…However, inconsistent results persist. While Mendonça et al 12 showed that adolescents from João Pessoa who perceived that the neighborhood environment was not violent were more likely to report active commuting, other national studies have not found an association between urban violence and adolescent physical activity [23][24][25] .…”

“…However, it is observed from systematic reviews that evidence is still needed to help understand the relationship between physical activity in adolescents and the natural, built, and social environment, especially in low-and middle-income countries 5,17,18,21,22 . Precisely in Brazil, the scientific production that addresses the topic consists of studies with local samples, the vast majority evaluating the physical activity associated with the perceived environment, with results that are still not consistent 12,15,[23][24][25][26] .…”

Team sports, running, walking: activity-specific associations with perceived environmental factors in adolescents

“…Similarly, the distance from open spaces was associated with leisure physical activity of girls in Argentine 29 . In Brazil, specifically in the southern region, the shortest distance to public squares/parks, beaches, and leisure facilities was positively associated with general physical activities practice, as well as moderate and vigorous physical activity during leisure [30][31][32] . We emphasize the relevance of our findings since walking/running track was related to walking, running, team sports, and other general physical activities.…”