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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research article

A cross-sectional study examining predictors of visit frequency to local green space and the impact this has on physical activity levels

Authors: Elliott P. Flowers, Paul Freeman, Valerie F. Gladwell

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Background

Lack of physical activity (PA) is a growing public health concern. There is a growing body of literature that suggests a positive relationship may exist between the amount of local green space near one’s home and PA levels. For instance, park proximity has been shown to predict PA levels amongst certain populations. However, there is little evidence for the role of relatedness towards nature and perceptions of local green space on this relationship. The aim of this study was to examine, in a National UK sample, whether subjective indices associated with local green space were better predictors of visit frequency to local green space and PA levels compared to objectively measured quantity of local green space.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was designed. From a random sample, 2079 working age adults responded to an online survey in September 2011. Demographics, self-reported PA, objective measures of the local environment (including local green space, road coverage, and environmental deprivation), were assessed in conjunction with perceptions of local green space and nature relatedness. Quantity of local green space was assessed by cross-referencing respondents’ home postcodes with general land use databases. Regression models were conducted to assess which of our independent variables best predicted visit frequency to local green space and/or meeting PA guidelines. In addition, an ordinal regression was run to examine the relationship between visit frequency to local green space and the likelihood of meeting national PA guidelines.

Results

Nature relatedness was the strongest predictor for both visit frequency to local green space and meeting PA guidelines. Results show that perceived quality is a better predictor of visit frequency to local green space than objective quantity of local green space. The odds of achieving the recommended amount of PA was over four times greater for people who visited local green space once per week compared to never going (OR 4.151; 95 % CI, 2.40 to 7.17).

Conclusions

These results suggest that perceptions of local green space and nature relatedness play an important role in the relationship between local green space and PA. Considering the known health benefits of PA, our results are potentially important for public health interventions, policy making and environmental planning.
Footnotes
1
Road coverage for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland was recorded as missing data and treated as such in the analyses. The analyses were re-run including only participants from England and the same pattern of results was observed. As such, results from the full sample are reported in the manuscript.
 
2
Statistical analysis revealed that when environmental deprivation was removed as a covariate, objectively measure quantity of LGS was not a significant predictor of visit frequency to LGS or PA. Therefore, environmental deprivation – as a covariate – was included in the main analysis.
 
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Metadata
Title
A cross-sectional study examining predictors of visit frequency to local green space and the impact this has on physical activity levels
Authors
Elliott P. Flowers
Paul Freeman
Valerie F. Gladwell
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3050-9

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