Recreational facilities and leisure-time physical activity : an analysis of moderators and self-efficacy as a mediator

<b>Objective:</b> To examine socio-demographic and psychosocial moderators, and self-efficacy as a mediator of the cross-sectional relationships between having access to recreational facilities and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA); to investigate the extent to which the environment-LTPA associations could be explained by self-selection to neighborhoods. <br><br><b>Design:</b> A two-stage stratified sampling design was used to recruit 2,650 adults (aged 20-65) from 32 urban communities varying in walkability and socioeconomic status. Participants reported perceived access to facilities and home equipment for LTPA, weekly minutes of LTPA, self-efficacy for and enjoyment of LTPA, reasons for neighborhood selection, and socio-demographic characteristics. <br><b><br>Main Outcome Measures:</b> Self-reported recreational walking and other forms of moderate-to-vigorous LTPA expressed in MET-minutes. <br><br><b>Results: </b>Specific types of recreational facilities were independently  associated with LTPA. Age, education, being overweight/ obese, reasons for neighborhood selection, enjoyment of, and self-efficacy for LTPA moderated these relationships. Self-efficacy was not a significant mediator of these cross-sectional associations. <br><b><br>Conclusion: </b>These findings have potentially significant implications for the planning of environmental interventions aimed at increasing population-level LTPA particularly in those who are less attitudinally inclined to being physically active.<br>