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Children's active free play in local neighborhoods : a behavioral mapping study
journal contribution
posted on 2008-10-01, 00:00 authored by Jenny VeitchJenny Veitch, Jo SalmonJo Salmon, Kylie BallKylie BallMany Australian children are more sedentary than they should be, and almost one in five are currently overweight or obese. Some children may face difficulties finding opportunities to be active, having poor access to safe public open spaces or having low independent mobility limiting their access to places to play. This study aimed to examine children's access to places in their neighborhood for active free play and how these vary by age, sex and socioeconomic status (SES). Behavioral maps of the local neighborhood were completed by children (8-12 years) from five primary schools across different areas of Melbourne. Children living in low SES outer-urban neighborhoods had to travel greater distances to access local parks compared with those in inner-urban mid and high SES areas. One-third (32%) of children reported an independent mobility range of <100 m from home. In conclusion, for some children opportunities to engage in active free play in the local neighborhood may be limited due to lack of parks in close proximity to home and restricted independent mobility. It is important to collaborate with local governments, urban planners and community groups to improve access to neighborhood parks and to promote a sense of neighborhood safety.
History
Journal
Health education research : theory and practiceVolume
23Issue
5Pagination
870 - 879Publisher
Oxford University PressLocation
Cary, N.C.Publisher DOI
ISSN
0268-1153eISSN
1465-3648Language
engPublication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2008, Oxford University PressUsage metrics
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