Through the Eyes of Young People: Favourite Places for Physical Activity

Introduction: A decrease in physical activity amongst adolescents has been observed and it is well documented that low levels of activity are associated with poor health. In an attempt to understand factors that influence physical activity (PA) in young people research was undertaken with high school students in New Zealand to identify preferred places for PA and establish factors that they felt influenced levels of PA.

Methods: One hundred males and 73 females in year nine (aged 12-13) in health and physical education classes completed mapping exercises in which they delineated favourite and least favourite places for PA, where they went on a particular Sunday, how they got there and what they did, and chosen after-school activities and how they got there.

Results: Open public spaces were the most favoured places for PA with a nearby beach and park most frequently cited. Specific physical activities, having fun, and having friends to do an activity with were the most frequently cited reasons for liking these places. An industrial harbour area, other schools, and cemeteries were the least favoured places. Less than 2% biked somewhere on the Sunday surveyed and only 23% walked somewhere. The majority were driven to activities by car and a similar reliance on cars was observed for after-school activities.

Conclusions: A combination of environmental and social factors is important in both encouraging and discouraging PA and should be taken into account when seeking to enhance PA of young people.