Impact of an outdoor gym on park users' physical activity: A natural experiment

This study assessed the impact of an outdoor gym installation on park users' physical activity levels and examined the characteristics of outdoor gym users. A before-after time series design was employed, consisting of nine data collection periods: three each at baseline, post outdoor gym installation, and at 12-month follow-up. Repeated observational surveys and park intercept interviews were conducted. There was a small but significant increase in senior park users engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activity at follow-up (1.6 to 5.1%; p<0.001). There were significant increases from baseline to follow-up in the outdoor gym area for: MVPA (6 to 40%; p<0.001); and seniors' use (1.4 to 6%; p<0.001). The study contributes to the limited evidence on the impact of outdoor gyms on physical activity outcomes.