TY - JOUR
T1 - Proximity to Sports Facilities and Sports Participation for Adolescents in Germany
AU - Reimers, Anne
AU - Wagner, Matthias
AU - Alvanides, Seraphim
AU - Steinmayr, Andreas
AU - Reiner, Miriam
AU - Schmidt, Steffen
AU - Woll, Alexander
PY - 2014/3/27
Y1 - 2014/3/27
N2 - Objectives - To assess the relationship between proximity to specific sports facilities and participation in the corresponding sports activities for adolescents in Germany.
Methods - A sample of 1,768 adolescents aged 11–17 years old and living in 161 German communities was examined. Distances to the nearest sports facilities were calculated as an indicator of proximity to sports facilities using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Participation in specific leisure-time sports activities in sports clubs was assessed using a self-report questionnaire and individual-level socio-demographic variables were derived from a parent questionnaire. Community-level socio-demographics as covariates were selected from the INKAR database, in particular from indicators and maps on land development. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between proximity to the nearest sports facilities and participation in the corresponding sports activities.
Results - The logisitic regression analyses showed that girls residing longer distances from the nearest gym were less likely to engage in indoor sports activities; a significant interaction between distances to gyms and level of urbanization was identified. Decomposition of the interaction term showed that for adolescent girls living in rural areas participation in indoor sports activities was positively associated with gym proximity. Proximity to tennis courts and indoor pools was not associated with participation in tennis or water sports, respectively.
Conclusions - Improved proximity to gyms is likely to be more important for female adolescents living in rural areas.
AB - Objectives - To assess the relationship between proximity to specific sports facilities and participation in the corresponding sports activities for adolescents in Germany.
Methods - A sample of 1,768 adolescents aged 11–17 years old and living in 161 German communities was examined. Distances to the nearest sports facilities were calculated as an indicator of proximity to sports facilities using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Participation in specific leisure-time sports activities in sports clubs was assessed using a self-report questionnaire and individual-level socio-demographic variables were derived from a parent questionnaire. Community-level socio-demographics as covariates were selected from the INKAR database, in particular from indicators and maps on land development. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between proximity to the nearest sports facilities and participation in the corresponding sports activities.
Results - The logisitic regression analyses showed that girls residing longer distances from the nearest gym were less likely to engage in indoor sports activities; a significant interaction between distances to gyms and level of urbanization was identified. Decomposition of the interaction term showed that for adolescent girls living in rural areas participation in indoor sports activities was positively associated with gym proximity. Proximity to tennis courts and indoor pools was not associated with participation in tennis or water sports, respectively.
Conclusions - Improved proximity to gyms is likely to be more important for female adolescents living in rural areas.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84899866155&partnerID=MN8TOARS
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84899866155
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0093059
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0093059
M3 - Article
SN - 1932-6203
VL - 9
SP - 1
EP - 7
JO - PLoS One
JF - PLoS One
IS - 3
M1 - e93059
ER -