Disparities in physical activity resource availability in six US regions

We conducted an ecological study to determine physical activity resource availability overall and by sociodemographic groups in parts of six states (CA, IL, MD, MN, NC, NY).

Data on parks and recreational facilities were collected from 3 sources in 2009-2012. Three measures characterized park and recreational facility availability at the census tract level: presence of ≥1 resource, number of resources, and resource kernel density. Associations between resource availability and census tract characteristics (predominant racial/ethnic group, median income, and proportion of children and older adults) were estimated using linear, binomial, and zero-inflated negative binomial regression in 2014. Pooled and stratified analyses were conducted.

The study included 7139 census tracts, comprising 9.5% of the 2010 US population. Overall the availability of parks and recreational facilities was lower in predominantly minority relative to non-Hispanic white census tracts. Low-income census tracts and those with a higher proportion of children had an equal or greater availability of park resources but fewer recreational facilities. Stratification revealed substantial variation in resource availability by site.

The availability of physical activity resources varied by sociodemographic characteristics and across regions. Improved knowledge of resource distribution can inform strategies to provide equitable access to parks and recreational facilities.