This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Moody, J. S. Articles by Conway, T. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Moody, J. S. Articles by Conway, T. L. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Viability of Parks and Recreation Centers as Sites for Youth Physical Activity Promotion

Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG) at San Diego State University, in San Diego, California.

Judith J. Prochaska, PhD, MPH

Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, in San Francisco.

James F. Sallis, PhD

San Diego State University in San Diego, California.

Thomas L. McKenzie, PhD

San Diego State University in San Diego, California.

Marianne Brown, MPH

San Diego, California.

Terry L. Conway, PhD

Graduate School of Public Health at San Diego State University, in San Diego, California.

This descriptive study explored the potential for public parks and recreation centers as intervention sites for promoting physical activity among youth. Directors (55% women) of 44 recreation centers in San Diego County completed a survey of their centers’ physical activity programming for youths ages 3 to 17 years (response rate = 60%). On an average weekday, 373 (SD = 782) youths participated in physical activity at a center. More boys attended than girls (p < .05). Some centers sponsored after-school programs at elementary (41%) and middle (11%) schools but not at high schools (0%). Primary barriers to providing physical activity programs were inadequate staffing (54%), funding (39%), and facilities (32%). Girls and low-income youth were identified as the most difficult populations to reach. Directors reported considerable interest in collaborating on interventions to improve youth activity programs. Public parks and recreation centers are understudied settings with the potential for substantial involvement in efforts to promote youth physical activity.

Key Words: survey • community • intervention

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. P. Saunders and J. Moody Community Agency Survey Formative Research Results From the TAAG Study Health Educ Behav, February 1, 2006; 33(1): 12 - 24. [Abstract] [PDF]