Research: Kids Lack Play Spaces, Increasing Obesity Risk

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Did you know that 81% of Latino neighborhoods don’t have a safe recreational facility?

That means many kids lack places to play and be active, which contributes to higher rates of physical inactivity and obesity, according to a new package of research from Salud America!, a national network for childhood obesity prevention and communication funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Salud America!’s Active Spaces and Kids research package tackles the latest issues on the physical activity environment and offers recommendations.

Solutions are emerging to improve access to and safe use of active spaces:

Shared use agreements are formal contracts between a school and a city, county, or sports league that outline terms for sharing existing physical activity facilities. They help boost access to active spaces in communities.

Neighborhood park programs can engage kids and residents to identify challenges to park usage and lead to improvements, while scheduling park programs later in the evening can occupy people with positive activities and reduce crime.

Safe street initiatives, such as “complete streets,” can slow vehicular traffic and add crosswalks, sidewalks, and protected bicycle lanes, thus encouraging safe, active transportation and more walkable neighborhoods.

“Many kids don’t get enough physical activity, so it’s critical to make parks, school playgrounds, and other recreational sites safer and more accessible to help kids be active and fight obesity,” said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! and the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio.

Go here to see the full research package!

Salud America! is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded national childhood obesity prevention and communication network.