The social nature of parks: associations between social interactions and park visitation and physical activity among children and adolescents.

Children who socialized in parks most of the time had higher odds of visiting parks at least once per week compared to children who rarely socialized.

• Sample included children aged 8-12 years (n = 213) who self-reported park visitation and social interactions.
• Logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, dog ownership, and school-level socio-economic status.
• Comparison group was children who rarely socialized during park visits.
• Park visitation frequency was defined as visiting parks ≥ once/week.

Children who visited parks with family or friends had higher odds of visiting parks at least once per week and engaging in physical activity compared to children who only visited with family.

• Accompaniment was self-reported by children aged 8-12 years (n = 213).
• Reference category for accompaniment comparisons was children who visited only with family.
• Both park visitation frequency (≥ once/week) and park-based physical activity were outcome variables.
• Models adjusted for age, sex, dog ownership, and school-level socio-economic status.

Children who socialized in parks most of the time were more likely to engage in park-based physical activity compared to those who rarely socialized.

• Children aged 8-12 years (n = 213) self-reported frequency of socializing during park visits.
• Park-based activity was a self-reported outcome measure.
• Logistic regression was used to examine associations, adjusting for age, sex, dog ownership, and school-level socio-economic status.

Adolescents who more frequently socialized in parks spent more time at the park, visited at least once per week, and were more likely to be physically active compared to those who rarely socialized.

• Sample included adolescents aged 13-18 years (n = 210) who self-reported park visitation and social interactions.
• Outcomes examined included park visitation frequency (≥ once/week), park visitation duration, and park-based physical activity.
• Logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, dog ownership, and school-level socio-economic status.
• Socializing frequency was self-reported by adolescents.

Adolescents who visited parks with both family and friends spent longer at the park compared to those who visited alone.

• Adolescents aged 13-18 years (n = 210) self-reported park accompaniment.
• Park visitation duration was a self-reported outcome measure.
• Reference category for this comparison was adolescents who visited parks alone.
• Models adjusted for age, sex, dog ownership, and school-level socio-economic status.

The study examined associations between social interactions and park use behavior separately for children and adolescents using logistic regression.

• Children (8-12 years, n = 213) and adolescents (13-18 years, n = 210) were studied as separate groups.
• Social interaction variables included accompaniment, frequency of socializing during park visits, and frequency of seeing known people in parks.
• Outcome variables included park visitation frequency, park visitation duration, and park-based physical activity.
• Covariates in all models included age, sex, dog ownership, and school-level socio-economic status.
• All measures were self-reported.