@article{ref1,
title="Use of dog parks and the contribution to physical activity for their owners",
journal="Research quarterly for exercise and sport",
year="2016",
author="Evenson, Kelly R. and Shay, Elizabeth and Williamson, Stephanie and Cohen, Deborah A.",
volume="87",
number="2",
pages="165-173",
abstract="PURPOSE: This study described the use of dog parks in several diverse locations and explored the contribution dog parks made to physical activity of the dog owners. <br><br>METHOD: The Systematic Observation of Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) tool was used to count the number and characteristics of people using parks. Observations were conducted 4 times per day, 4 days per week during for 1 week in 6 urban/suburban parks during different seasons. Collection sites included 3 dog parks in Chapel Hill/Durham, NC; 2 dog parks in Los Angeles, CA; and 1 dog park in Philadelphia, PA. Interviews at the NC and PA parks were conducted among 604 adults. <br><br>RESULTS: We counted 2,124 people (11.9%) in the dog park area compared with 15,672 people in the remaining park areas. Based on observations, dog park visitors were more likely to be female and White or Other race/ethnicity compared with Hispanics, and were less likely to be children or engaged in walking or vigorous activity. Park interviews revealed that compared with other park activities, reporting walking/watching a dog at the park was more common among those who visited the park more frequently ( ≥ 1 time per week), stayed at the park for a shorter time ( ≤  1 hr), or visited the park alone. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Although dog parks may be an important destination for dog owners and contribute to physical activity, the contribution of dog parks to participants' moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was limited.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0270-1367",
doi="10.1080/02701367.2016.1143909",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2016.1143909"
}