Sport Participation for Adults Aged 50 + Years: A Socioecological Analysis.

Sport participation can play a key role in older adults' successful aging as it provides an enjoyable opportunity for leisure-time physical activity. Research focusing on the benefits of sport participation in later life and facilitators for involvement has been increasing in the past several years. Drawing on the socioecological model, this study investigated select socioecological factors that predict older adults' sport participation from a holistic perspective. An online survey provided quantitative data from 1203 adults aged 50 and older across the United States. Results from logistic regression analyses showed that personal characteristics, individual behavior, environment/policy, and life course effects were significant predictors of sport participation in later life. The findings in this study enhance our understanding of factors related to older adults' sport participation and are also of value to practitioners seeking to promote sport participation among older adults.

Physical activity levels among rural adolescents with a history of ankle sprain and chronic ankle instability.

Ankle sprains and their common sequalae are thought to negatively affect physical activity levels and health-related quality of life among active populations, but limited evidence has described this among younger populations. This study aimed to determine the prevalence rate of ankle sprain and chronic ankle instability among rural adolescents and subsequently compare their physical activity levels based on ankle injury status. The study was conducted in a rural high school in North Carolina. High school students completed an online survey that assessed ankle injury history, perception of ankle instability and function, and physical activity. Respondents were categorized into one of four groups based on ankle injury history and complaints of instability: 1) uninjured (no history of injury); 2) unstable (history of injury >1 year and recurrent instability); 3) copers (history of injury >1 year and no recurrent instability); and 4) potentially unstable (injury within the past year). Frequency of physical activity was compared across groups using analysis of variance, Kruskall-Wallis test (α = 0.05), and responses to activity type were assessed using chi-square. Physical activity was found to differ significantly between the four groups [Formula: see text] with unstable respondents reporting more physical activity than uninjured respondents (unstable = 4706.05 ± 4610.56 MET-minutes/week; uninjured = 2592.93 ± 2946.02 MET-minutes/week). No differences were found between other groups. Despite injury history and sensations of instability, respondents with chronic ankle instability reported greater physical activity levels than uninjured participants. As this is contrary to pre-existing hypotheses, it is possible that continued physical activity after injury among adolescents may contribute to deleterious outcomes such as increased frequency of chronic instability.

A Life Course Examination of Women's Team Sport Participation in Late Adulthood.

This study contributes to the fields of aging and physical activity by applying the key principles of the life course perspective to investigate women's team sport participation experience in late adulthood. Through focus groups, data were collected from six competitive softball teams of women (N = 64) ranging from 55 to 79 years old. Data were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for themes related to the life course principles of historical context and place, social embeddedness, agency, as well as trajectories and timing. A key study finding was that the women experienced cultural lag and age-related barriers to resources when playing competitive softball in late adulthood. In addition, the network of shared relationships occupied by these women had both positive and negative influences on their participation in competitive sports. Study findings can help inform services and programs at the local community level aimed at enhancing women's physical activity and health in late adulthood.

Does building a greenway promote physical activity among proximate residents?

BACKGROUND: Previous research has observed a positive correlation between having greenways or trails proximate to homes and the physical activity behaviors among residents. Few studies using a pre-post research design have been conducted, and each has pointed to the need for more rigorous studies which incorporate an appropriate control group. METHODS: Residents from households living within 1 mile of a proposed greenway and those from a control neighborhood located between 2 and 3 miles of the proposed greenway were randomly selected to participate in the study. Participants were mailed a survey before the onset of construction and again 1 year after the trail was opened. Outcomes were the number of days during the previous week that respondents reported participating in walking, moderate activity, and vigorous activity. RESULTS: Repeated measures analyses of variance indicated no significant differences between the experimental and control groups in days of walking, moderate activity, or vigorous activity before and after the greenway was constructed. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that building a greenway did not affect the physical activity behaviors of proximate residents. Other studies should consider different trail types from a variety of settings to determine whether physical activity behavior changes may be context specific.

Improving the physical activity and nutrition environment through self-assessment (NAP SACC) in rural area child care centers in North Carolina.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if child care centers in rural, Western North Carolina met recommendations for nutrition and physical activity, if focusing on nutrition and physical activity practices and policies was effective in improving the center environment, and if differences existed between centers affiliated or unaffiliated with schools. METHODS: Of 33 child care centers in three counties, 29 submitted mini-grant requests and participated in a pre-post evaluation using Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC). NAP SACC assesses compliance for nutrition and physical activity recommendations and standards. Between October 2011 and April 2012, centers participated in workshops and goal setting specific to nutrition and physical activity. RESULTS: At baseline, over 95% of the centers met all recommendations. However, post-intervention, Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test (p<0.05) indicated significant improvement across center types in five out of 37 nutrition and seven out of 17 physical activity standards following the intervention. Centers unaffiliated with schools made significant changes in ten nutrition standards, while those affiliated with schools improved in only two standards and decreased on one standard. CONCLUSION: Overall, rural child care centers in Western North Carolina were meeting standards, they were still able to strengthen policies and practices by following NAP SACC. This was especially true for centers unaffiliated with schools. Continued financial support may assist centers in sustaining increased physical activity in children.

Stakeholder perceptions of obesity-prevention strategies: a comparison of geographically diverse rural counties.

Understanding barriers and facilitators to strategies directed at obesity-prevention policy change, particularly in rural, southern US counties where obesity is more prevalent, is important so that strategies deemed most winnable can be pursued. As such, community stakeholders and policy makers were interviewed using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Common Community Measures for Obesity Prevention Assessment in 2 rural, geographically diverse regions of North Carolina. Stakeholder interviews revealed many similarities despite population differences and unique geographic challenges to each region. In both Western and Eastern North Carolina, strategies involving increasing opportunities for physical activity were deemed the most winnable, whereas strategies incentivizing businesses to locate in underserved areas and limiting advertisements of unhealthy food and beverages were deemed the least winnable. Differences among Western and Eastern North Carolina regions revolved around zoning, geographic constraints, and topographically influenced local food strategies. These findings add to the literature by systemically identifying similarities and differences among geographically diverse rural communities.

Association of available parkland, physical activity, and overweight in America's largest cities.

OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between the densities of available parkland, parkland provided per capita, and levels of physical activity (PA) and overweight in urban United States. DESIGN: Cross-sectional correlation research using data drawn from the Trust for Public Land's 2010 City Park Facts and The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). City Park Facts is a report containing "basic information on urban park systems--from acreage, to facilities, to staffing, to budgets, to usership, and more" for America's 85 largest cities. The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System is a state-based surveillance system that collects information on health risk behaviors, preventive health practices, and health care access primarily related to chronic disease and injury. SETTING: Sixty-seven metropolitan statistical areas in the United States that provided data for both reports. PARTICIPANTS: Randomly selected adults aged 18 years and older who participated in the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey in the 67 metropolitan statistical areas. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Total parkland per acre of metropolitan area was correlated to inactivity, engaging in recommended levels of moderate or vigorous PA, engaging in recommended levels of vigorous PA, and body weight. Parkland acreage per 1000 residents was correlated to these same variables. Multilevel models considered these relationships while controlling for race, family income, and age of respondents and accounting for clustering by metropolitan statistical area. RESULTS: There were significant, positive correlations between park density and PA (r(s) = 0.37, n = 67, P < .01) and between park density and exercise (r(s) = 0.35, n = 67, P < .01), and a negative correlation between park density and being above normal weight (r(s) = -0.32, n = 67, P < .01). Adjusted multilevel models showed that parkland density in the highest versus lowest quartile was associated with significantly higher odds of meeting PA guidelines (aOR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.08-1.30) and reduced odds of being overweight/obese (aOR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.76-0.95). CONCLUSIONS: Each of these findings substantiates the need for providing parkland in a community. As such, this research helps to support the notion that the development of a strong park system may lead to positive PA and health outcomes for that community.

The impacts of building a greenway on proximate residents' physical activity.

BACKGROUND: A significant association has been identified between physical activity and proximity to greenways. However, residents more likely to be active may have selected to live near existing greenways. The purpose of this study was to determine whether development of a new greenway has the potential to increase activity levels of existing, proximate residents. METHODS: In 2008, survey data were collected before and after 5 miles of greenway were added to an existing greenway. RESULTS: When comparing residents living nearest (≤ .50 miles) the new greenway section with those living further (.51-1.0 miles), days spent walking and participating in moderate physical activity increased. Despite mean increases, no significant interactions were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Although evidence is inconclusive, apparent increases in walking and moderate activity suggest development of a greenway proximate to residents' homes is likely to have a positive effect on participation levels. Additional research is needed to address article limitations.

The Impacts of Building a Greenway on Proximate Residents' Physical Activity.

BACKGROUND: A significant association has been identified between physical activity and proximity to greenways. However, residents more likely to be active may have selected to live near existing greenways. The purpose of this study was to determine whether development of a new greenway has the potential to increase activity levels of existing, proximate residents. METHODS: In 2008, survey data were collected before and after 5 miles of greenway were added to an existing greenway. RESULTS: When comparing residents living nearest (≤ .50 miles) the new greenway section with those living further (.51-1.0 miles), days spent walking and participating in moderate physical activity increased. Despite mean increases, no significant interactions were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Although evidence is inconclusive, apparent increases in walking and moderate activity suggest development of a greenway proximate to residents' homes is likely to have a positive effect on participation levels. Additional research is needed to address article limitations.

Pursuing leisure during leisure-time physical activity.

BACKGROUND: While considerable attention has been given to quantifying leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among subpopulations, less attention has focused on the perception of the experience as leisure. The current study describes the prevalence of leisure-like experiences during LTPA among college students. We describe the social contexts and activity settings that contribute to participant enjoyment of LTPA since enjoyment has been linked to participation and adherence. METHODS: Data were collected from 192 undergraduate students using a short questionnaire and 2 days of time diaries. RESULTS: Respondents spent nearly equal time working, sleeping, and engaged in discretionary activities. Students reported 512 minutes of discretionary time each day, of which 77 minutes were spent in LTPA and 68% was classified by respondents as leisure. Active sports/exercise (including aerobics and weight lifting), walking, and dancing at bars or parties were the most frequent LTPA choices. When LTPA involved the presence of human companions, activities were more likely to be perceived by respondents as leisure experiences. Physical activities undertaken at public parks, bars/dance clubs and private recreation centers were also more likely to be perceived as leisure experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that social instead of traditional exercise activities may motivate LTPA participation among college students. For example, results suggest the importance of dancing in this population.

Rural and urban park visits and park-based physical activity.

OBJECTIVE: A physical activity disparity exists between rural and urban residents. Community parks are resources for physical activity because they are publicly provided, available at a low cost, and accessible to most residents. We examine the use of and physical activity outcomes associated with rural and urban parks. METHODS: Onsite observations were conducted using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) at four rural and four urban parks. Momentary sampling scans were conducted four times per day for seven days at each site. RESULTS: A total of 6,545 park visitors were observed. Both rural and urban park visitors were observed more often at larger parks with paved trails and attended most often on weekends. Rural park visits were more frequent than urban park visits but rural visits were less physically active. CONCLUSION: Although similarities were observed between rural and urban park visits, differences suggest that findings from park and physical activity studies in urban areas should not be considered representative of their rural counterparts. Given that the majority of existing park and physical activity research has been undertaken in urban settings, the need for complementary research in rural settings has been made evident through this presentation of baseline descriptive data.

Extra-individual correlates of physical activity attainment in rural older adults.

CONTEXT: Challenged with a higher incidence of disease, reduced social support, and less access to physical activity facilities and services, rural older adults may find healthy active living a challenge. Despite these challenges, some rural older adults manage to achieve active lifestyles. PURPOSE: This study investigates the relative importance of 4 extra-individual correlates of physical activity to physical activity achievement in rural seniors. METHODS: Data were drawn from mail questionnaires completed by 454 adults age 65 and over in 7 rural North Carolina counties. FINDINGS: Results from an analysis of covariance indicate that respondents who approached CDC/ACSM recommended levels of physical activity were significantly more likely to report that they lived within walking distance to parks, perceived they had transportation to physical activity areas, had a partner with whom to be active, and felt activity facilities were safe. Next, 7 extra-individual correlates of physical activity were entered into a backward logistic regression. The resultant model predicting physical activity achievement among rural older adults included social support for physical activity, a safe environment for physical activity, and reported ability to walk to a local park. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions designed to provide social support, heighten safety at activity areas and improve park infrastructure may provide opportunities to increase physical activity among seniors.

The relationship between built park environments and physical activity in four park locations.

Despite widespread knowledge that physical activity is a valuable mechanism for preventing many lifestyle diseases, data from the 2001 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System indicate that less than half of the US population met activity recommendations established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To increase physical activity levels, community officials around the United States have identified public parks as a convenient, low-cost resource to enable active living. However, the amenities of the built park environment that best facilitate active park visits are unknown. The current article describes the relationship of micro-level environmental components and park visitors' physical activity. Using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities, park visitation patterns are documented and described according to user demographics. Broadly, visitors who were observed in park environments, which contained playgrounds, sport courts, and paths, were significantly more active than visitors in settings without these features. Furthermore, six types of built features were able to explain 58% of the variance in observed activity intensity among park visitors. Findings suggest that built features that support physical activity across the life span (paths and courts in particular) may be considered by community leaders seeking relatively low-cost mechanisms to promote physical activity among residents.