Parks, recreation, and public health collaborative

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Park and Recreation Management

Background:

• Park and recreation agencies strive to enhance community quality of life through programs and resources.
• Increasing physical activity is a key public health objective, necessitating accessible spaces like parks.
• Effective promotion of physical activity requires better understanding of parks' role in public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify needs for improved surveillance and measurement instruments in parks, recreation, and public health.
• To inform practitioners and policymakers on the contribution of parks and recreation to physical activity and public health.

Main Methods:

• Convened a working group of approximately 20 professionals experienced in data collection.
• Discussed current challenges and future needs in data collection for parks, recreation, and public health.

Main Results:

• Identified the need for collaborative research and data sharing among agencies and researchers.
• Highlighted the necessity for developing surveillance measures to quantify health-related physical activity in park settings.

Conclusions:

• Collaborative research and data sharing are crucial for advancing public health goals through parks and recreation.
• Developing standardized surveillance measures is essential to demonstrate the impact of parks on physical activity and community health.