CDC Study: Shared Use Agreements Increased Physical Activity in LA County

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A study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looked at 12 school sites in 7 Los Angeles County school district facilities between 2010 and 2012 and found that shared use agreements increased moderate to vigorous levels of physical activity among adults and children.

The study, which examined 1,669 participants, at sites with a mostly Latino population, found that physical activity was 16 times higher in communities that offered physical activity programing at shared use sites.

Ten out of the twelve schools observed during the study had some form of organized programming and researchers found that shared use of facilities was higher when programming was made available to communities.

Programming offered at sites included swimming, aerobic dancing, golf, exercise using fitness video games, walking, and tennis classes. Researchers believe that activities attracted both adults and children to the sites, suggesting that a family unit effect took place.

From the classroom to the schoolyard, schools play a crucial role in the development of a child. But they also play an important role in community development.

Latino kids are less likely to get the physical activity they need in places that don’t have easy access to parks or playgrounds. And while schools have the power to unlock their gates and leave their facilities open to the public, this doesn’t always happen. This is where shared use agreements and after school programming can really make a difference.

To learn more about shared use agreements and how they affect Latino children check out Salud America’s Active Spaces research review, research brief, infographic, and video.

To learn about shared use in California visit Jointuse.org.

Read the CDC study  about shared use in LA County here.