Too busy or too far away? The importance of subjective constraints and spatial factors for sports frequency

Abstract

Previous studies on the association between the availability of sports facilities and sports participation have neglected the influence of subjective constraints that individuals experience with regard to sports participation. This paper investigates to what extent constraints experienced by sports participants are associated with their spatial circumstances and whether these subjective constraints or objective spatial circumstances have a greater impact on sports frequency. Based on a survey among 776 adults in urban and rural municipalities in the Netherlands, regression analyses revealed that constraints were related to neighbourhood liveability and distance to indoor sports facilities and swimming pools. Time constraints had a strong negative effect on sports frequency, but the effect of distance to indoor facilities and swimming pools was even more important. Our results furthermore indicate a growing need for flexibility in the spatiotemporal organization of sports activities and an increased importance of the public space for sports participation.

The transition to adulthood: a game changer!? A longitudinal analysis of the impact of five major life events on sport participation

“…This is clearly an issue in sport participation, as lack of time is by far the most mentioned reason for not practising sport (European Commission, 2014). The main constraints reported for sport participation relate to work or study, social commitments, and family obligations (Deelen, Ettema, & Dijst, 2016). Not only is time scarce, but time devoted to one activity often must be traded off against time required for other pursuits.…”

“…Major life events that accompany the transition to adulthoodlike leaving full-time education and beginning work, entering an intimate relationship, formalising a relationship through cohabitation or marriage, and becoming a parentimpose restrictions on time to practise sport (Deelen et al, 2016;Kraaykamp et al, 2009;Ruseski, Humphreys, Hallmann, & Breuer, 2011;Tiessen-Raaphorst, Van den Dool, & Vogels, 2014;Van Houten et al, 2014, 2017. These major events, additionally, bring new roles and social responsibilities, like maintaining a professional and family network, providing for a partner, and taking care of a child, which are likely to be of greater importance than sport-related roles and responsibilities.…”

Do objective neighbourhood characteristics relate to residents’ preferences for certain sports locations? A cross-sectional study using a discrete choice modelling approach

“…For instance, a previous study found that runners not only use the public space in their neighbourhood, however, they also go outside the neighbourhood and out of town [ 24 ]. Moreover, our data showed that sports participants using sports clubs or private sports facilities on average travelled 3082 m (SD = 3.843 m) to their sports activities (see also [ 16 ] based on the same data), and those who use the public space for sports such as running will probably use an even wider area around their homes.…”

“…That natural environmental characteristics (i.e., green and blue space) are related to sports participation is in line with previous research that showed that attractive and liveable environments stimulate and invite people to exercise or participate in sports [ 31 , 32 ]. Moreover, such environments are associated with less experienced constraints to participating in sports more frequently [ 16 ]. The strong effect of green, and particularly blue space, on sports participation in all types of locations might be related to different types of sports that different natural areas are suitable for.…”

“…These studies showed associations between sports participation and individual determinants, such as socio-demographical and psychological factors and household factors [ 11 – 13 ]. Additionally, characteristics of the social and physical environment (such as safety, neighbourhood socio-economic status, social network, social cohesion, access to sports facilities, urban density, and attractiveness of the physical environment) were associated with sports participation [ 14 – 16 ]. Other studies focused on the organization of sports as the outcome measure.…”