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Placement of Outdoor Exercise Equipment and Physical Activity

A Quasi-Experimental Study in Two Parks in Southern California

Bibliographic Data

ID15459100
AuthorsMojgan Sami (0000-0002-4048-3890, California State University, Fullerton, corresponding author), Megan Smith (0000-0003-1207-6048, University of California, Irvine), Oladele A Ogunseitan (0000-0003-1317-6219, University of California, Irvine)
Year2020
Volume17
Issue7
Pages2605-2605
Publication date2020-04-10
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph17072605
PMID32290320
OpenAlexW3015393834
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited31

To reduce the burden of chronic disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded the Orange County Partnerships to Improve Health (OC-PICH) project in Orange County, California. One of the strategies included adding outdoor exercise equipment (OEE) in two parks in Garden Grove and Anaheim. Using a quasi-experimental pre-post design, we evaluated park users' physical activity levels before and after OEE installation using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC). The OEE was installed along a walking path in Edison Park (Anaheim) and grouped within a single area (a "fitness zone") in Garden Grove Park. In both parks, there were significantly greater odds of high-intensity physical activity overall after the installation-19% higher odds in Anaheim, and 23% higher odds in Garden Grove. However, the fitness zone area in Garden Grove had substantially higher odds of increased physical activity post-intervention (OR = 5.29, CI: 3.76-7.44, p < 0.001). While the increases in physical activity levels are consistent with past studies that link OEE to higher levels of physical activity among park users, our findings also suggest that the location and placement of equipment within a park may be an important factor to consider when improving park amenities for physical activity

Environmental health · Geography · Odds · Odds ratio · Physical activity · Physical fitness · Physical therapy · Recreation · Medicine · Physical Activity and Health · Urban Green Space and Health · Urban Transport and Accessibility · Ecology · Gerontology

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Unique citing works6
Citations per year1,2
Citation span2021 - 2026 (6)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 5
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