@article{suau_floyd_spengler_maddock_gobster_2012, title={Energy Expenditure Associated With the Use of Neighborhood Parks in 2 Cities}, volume={18}, ISSN={["1550-5022"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84864616157&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1097/phh.0b013e3182464737}, abstractNote={CONTEXT
Availability of public neighborhood parks is associated with physical activity. Little is known about how parks contribute to population energy balance.


PURPOSE
This study estimated energy expenditure associated with the use of neighborhood parks and compared energy expenditure by activity areas within parks and by neighborhood race/ethnicity and income.


DESIGN
The System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity among Youth (SOPLAY), a direct observation approach, was used to estimate energy expenditure in 10 Tampa (Florida) parks and 19 Chicago (Illinois) parks.


SETTING
Parks were selected from census tracts with a moderate to high representation of white, Latino, and African American populations.


PARTICIPANTS
A total of 9454 park users were observed.


OUTCOME
Sedentary, moderate, and vigorous activities were assigned metabolic equivalence intensity (MET) values of 1.5, 3, and 6, respectively.


RESULTS
Park use in Tampa generated 15 336 total METs over the study period. Chicago parks generated 7305.6 METs. Mean METs varied by activity areas in parks. For Chicago parks, mean METs were higher for parks in African American and higher-income neighborhoods.


CONCLUSIONS
Public parks can contribute to population energy balance. Policies to make parks available, promotions to encourage park use, and programs to encourage active use of parks are necessary to achieve this potential.}, number={5}, journal={JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH MANAGEMENT AND PRACTICE}, author={Suau, Luis J. and Floyd, Myron F. and Spengler, John O. and Maddock, Jay E. and Gobster, Paul H.}, year={2012}, pages={440–444} }
 @article{vogel_suau_martin_jokela_2011, title={Long-term effects of weed control and fertilization on the carbon and nitrogen pools of a slash and loblolly pine forest in north-central Florida}, volume={41}, number={3}, journal={Canadian Journal of Forest Research}, author={Vogel, J. G. and Suau, L. J. and Martin, T. A. and Jokela, E. J.}, year={2011}, pages={552–567} }
 @article{floyd_bocarro_smith_baran_moore_cosco_edwards_suau_fang_2011, title={Park-Based Physical Activity Among Children and Adolescents}, volume={41}, ISSN={0749-3797}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2011.04.013}, DOI={10.1016/j.amepre.2011.04.013}, abstractNote={Background Availability of parks is associated with higher levels of physical activity among children and adolescents. Few studies examine actual park use and park-based physical activity in these populations. Purpose This study examined associations among individual, park, and neighborhood environmental characteristics and children's and adolescent's park-based physical activity. Methods Data were collected in 2007 on 2712 children in 20 randomly selected parks in Durham NC. The System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) provided measures of physical activity. Hierarchic regression analysis assessed associations among individual, park, and neighborhood environmental characteristics and children's park-based physical activity. Data were analyzed in 2010. Results Of the 2712 children observed, 34.2% and 13.2% were engaged in walking or vigorous physical activity. Environmental features of parks were associated with activity levels whereas neighborhood characteristics were not. Physical activity was negatively associated with gender (girls) (p=0.003); presence of a parent (p<0.0001); presence of nonparental adult (p=0.006); and an interaction involving the 0–5 years age group and style of play (p=0.017). Higher level of physical activity was associated with presence of other active children (p<0.0001); courts (e.g., basketball); and an interaction between number of recreation facilities and formal activities (p=0.004). Conclusions These social factors and design features should be considered in order to stimulate higher levels of park-based physical activity among children and adolescents. Availability of parks is associated with higher levels of physical activity among children and adolescents. Few studies examine actual park use and park-based physical activity in these populations. This study examined associations among individual, park, and neighborhood environmental characteristics and children's and adolescent's park-based physical activity. Data were collected in 2007 on 2712 children in 20 randomly selected parks in Durham NC. The System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) provided measures of physical activity. Hierarchic regression analysis assessed associations among individual, park, and neighborhood environmental characteristics and children's park-based physical activity. Data were analyzed in 2010. Of the 2712 children observed, 34.2% and 13.2% were engaged in walking or vigorous physical activity. Environmental features of parks were associated with activity levels whereas neighborhood characteristics were not. Physical activity was negatively associated with gender (girls) (p=0.003); presence of a parent (p<0.0001); presence of nonparental adult (p=0.006); and an interaction involving the 0–5 years age group and style of play (p=0.017). Higher level of physical activity was associated with presence of other active children (p<0.0001); courts (e.g., basketball); and an interaction between number of recreation facilities and formal activities (p=0.004). These social factors and design features should be considered in order to stimulate higher levels of park-based physical activity among children and adolescents.}, number={3}, journal={American Journal of Preventive Medicine}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Floyd, Myron F. and Bocarro, Jason N. and Smith, William R. and Baran, Perver K. and Moore, Robin C. and Cosco, Nilda G. and Edwards, Michael B. and Suau, Luis J. and Fang, Kunsheng}, year={2011}, month={Sep}, pages={258–265} }