Why do some people head for a neighborhood park every chance they get, while others never go? Why do some park visitors jog, swim, or engage in other forms of vigorous exercise, while others sit and feed the pigeons? A group of Georgia researchers will study urban neighborhood parks as a setting for physical activity. This study has two phases: in the first, researchers will visit 12-15 parks in DeKalb County, Georgia to conduct brief on-site interviews and observe the physical activities of park users. They want to learn about who is using parks and for what purposes (exercise, meditation, etc.); how park users travel to parks (on foot or by car); and where they live relative to the park. The researchers will also study park features and the characteristics of the neighborhoods surrounding the parks. In the second phase of this study, characteristics of park users and non-users will be examined in order to identify the factors that increase the likelihood of park use and physical activity in parks. Researchers will use the findings from this study to develop policy recommendations that will help increase physical activity in parks.
