A research brief published earlier this year highlights that parks are a health solution not just an aspirational goal. Local park and recreation agencies are having a real impact on health in the community with measurable results. Four Penn State University researchers found that park users and recreation program participants are more likely to report being healthy than those that are less active. The paper, titled “The relationship between self-rated health and use of parks and participation in recreation programs, United States, 1991 and 2015,” is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Preventing Chronic Disease.

Researchers, led by Nicholas Pitas and Austin Barrett, used data from two survey research studies commissioned by NRPA and conducted by Penn State, one in 1991 and the other in 2015. Last year, the NRPA report titled “Americans’ Broad-Based Support for Local Recreation and Park Services” used the same data. The report found that the public shares a passion for local public park and recreation offerings that spans nearly every demographic group within our nation and this notion has gone unabated during the past 25 years.

The researchers took data from that same study, including questions that asked specifically about the survey respondents’ perceptions of their health and the frequency of which they visited parks and participated in activities delivered by local park and recreation agencies.  Data analysis found that frequent park users were more likely to report that they were healthy. The researchers found a similar positive relationship between frequent participation in recreation activities and good health. In fact, these relationships were statistically more significant using the 2015 survey data than they had been in the 1991 data.

These findings suggest what NRPA and park and recreation professionals have been saying for years: investments in parks and recreation lead to a more active and healthier America. Whether it is the local pocket park around the corner or a vast sprawling trail network that serves the entire city, the local park and recreation agency provides numerous opportunities for physical fitness and healthy lifestyles for the entire community. Even better, these resources are available for little-to-no cost to the user, ensuring that all members of our communities have access.

These research conclusions are yet another piece of the broad story that you can share with your local political leaders, private funders, key stakeholders, the media, and the general public as you make the case for more stable and greater funding for your agency.

Using this social media calendar, share with us how your agency is promoting health and wellness in your community using #parks4health.

Kevin Roth is NRPA’s Vice President of Research.