Skip to main content

Table 1 Descriptive characteristics of parks and park users by study site, neighborhood walkability and neighborhood income

From: Associations of neighborhood characteristics with active park use: an observational study in two cities in the USA and Belgium

  

Study site

Walkability

Income

 

Total

Ghent

San Diego

Low

High

Low

High

Number of parks

20

10

10

11

9

11

9

Park size in hectare (mean [SD])

7.6 (7.7)

6.0 (5.8)

8.5 (8.4)

10.5 (8.6)

3.2 (1.5)

4.4 (4.3)

10.7 (8.8)

SOPARC observations

       

Total observed individuals (n)

1836

766

1070

958

878

699

1137

Gender (n[%])

       

 Male

1099 (59.9)

393 (51.3)

706 (66.0)

622 (64.9)

477 (54.3)

440 (62.9)

659 (58.0)

 Female

737 (40.1)

373 (48.7)

364 (34.0)

336 (35.1)

401 (45.7)

259 (37.1)

478 (42.0)

Age group (n[%])

       

 Children

409 (22.3)

106 (13.8)

303 (28.3)

212 (22.1)

197 (22.4)

94 (13.4)

315 (27.7)

 Adolescents

509 (27.7)

350 (45.7)

159 (14.9)

225 (23.5)

284 (32.3)

122 (17.5)

387 (34.0)

 Adults

861 (46.9)

270 (35.3)

591 (55.2)

491 (51.3)

370 (42.0)

438 (62.7)

423 (37.2)

 Older adults

57 (3.1)

40 (5.2)

17 (1.6)

30 (3.1)

27 (0.3)

45 (6.4)

12 (1.1)

Ethnicity (n[%])

       

 Latino

205 (11.2)

0 (0)

205 (19.2)

135 (14.1)

70 (7.9)

111 (15.9)

94 (8.3)

 Black

138 (7.5)

5 (0.7)

133 (12.4)

48 (5.0)

90 (10.3)

78 (11.2)

60 (5.3)

 White

1238 (67.4)

685 (89.4)

553 (51.7)

657 (68.6)

581 (66.2)

434 (62.1)

804 (70.7)

 Other

249 (13.6)

70 (9.1)

179 (16.7)

118 (12.3)

131 (14.9)

72 (10.3)

177 (15.6)

 Missing

6 (0.3)

6 (0.8)

0 (0)

0 (0)

6 (0.7)

4 (0.5)

2 (0.1)

Activity level (n[%])

       

 Sedentary

825 (44.9)

410 (53.5)

415 (38.8)

344 (35.9)

481 (54.8)

283 (40.5)

542 (47.7)

 Walking

336 (18.3)

159 (20.8)

177 (16.5)

160 (16.7)

176 (20.0)

140 (20.0)

196 (17.2)

 Vigorous activity

663 (36.1)

185 (24.2)

478 (44.7)

454 (47.4)

209 (23.8)

273 (39.1)

390 (34.3)

 Missing

12 (0.7)

12 (1.5)

0 (0)

0 (0)

12 (1.4)

3 (0.4)

9 (0.8)

METs/observation (mean [SD])

1.1 (1.8)

1.2 (1.8)

1.0 (1.9)

1.1 (1.9)

1.1 (1.7)

1.1 (1.9)

1.0 (1.8)

EAPRS observations

       

% of parks with park features

       

 Trail

40.0

40.0

40.0

45.5

33.3

54.5

22.2

 Path

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

 Open space

80.0

90.0

70.0

90.9

66.7

81.8

77.8

 Swimming pool

5.0

0.0

10.0

9.1

0.0

0.0

11.1

 Play area

85.0

80.0

90.0

100.0

66.7

82.8

88.9

 Sports field

55.0

40.0

70.0

63.6

44.4

45.5

66.7

 Skating area

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

% of parks with park amenities

       

 Places to sit

90.0

90.0

90.0

100.0

77.8

90.9

88.9

 Pond/lake

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

 Drinking fountain

40.0

10.0

70.0

45.5

33.3

45.5

33.3

 Picnic area

50.0

0.0

100.0

45.5

55.6

0.0

55.6

 Vending amenities

15.0

10.0

20.0

18.2

11.1

54.5

33.3

 Restroom

60.0

30.0

90.0

63.6

55.6

54.5

66.7

 Table

50.0

10.0

90.0

36.4

66.7

45.5

55.6

 Bike racks

50.0

40.0

60.0

45.5

55.6

36.4

66.7

 Parking lot

50.0

30.0

70.0

45.5

55.6

18.2

88.9

Total park features (mean [SD])

3.8 (0.8)

3.5 (0.7)

3.8 (1.4)

4.1 (0.5)

3.1 (1.1)

3.6 (1.1)

3.7 (0.7)

Total park amenities (mean [SD])

4.7 (2.1)

2.2 (1.5)

5.9 (1.1)

4.0 (2.4)

4.1 (2.3)

3.4 (2.0)

4.9 (2.4)

  1. SD = standard deviation.