Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32270668›Full record

ReviewHealth promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, policy and practice2020

Physical activity and social connectedness interventions in outdoor spaces among children and youth: a rapid review.

Alexander Wray, Gina Martin, Emma Ostermeier, Alina Medeiros, Malcolm Little, Kristen Reilly, Jason Gilliland

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, policy and practice, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

19 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Outdoor physical activity, mental health, life satisfaction, happiness and life stress among Canadian adolescents.Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, policy and practice · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Loneliness dynamics and physical health symptomology among midlife adults in daily life.Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association · 2024
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. Understanding the Role of Nature Engagement in Supporting Health and Wellbeing during COVID-19.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
    Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Alexander WrayHuman Environments Analysis Lab, Department of Geography, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Gina MartinHuman Environments Analysis Lab, Department of Geography, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Emma OstermeierHuman Environments Analysis Lab, Department of Geography, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Alina MedeirosHuman Environments Analysis Lab, Department of Geography, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Malcolm LittleHuman Environments Analysis Lab, Department of Geography, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Kristen ReillyHuman Environments Analysis Lab, Department of Geography, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Jason GillilandHuman Environments Analysis Lab, Department of Geography, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe rise in sedentary behaviour, coupled with the decline in overall mental health among Canadian children and youth in recent decades, demonstrates a clear need for applied research that focusses on developing and evaluating cross-disciplinary interventions. Outdoor spaces provide opportunities for physical activity and social connectedness, making them an ideal setting to address these critical health concerns among children and youth.

methodsWe conducted a rapid review of peer-reviewed (n = 3096) and grey literature (n = 7) to identify physical activity and/or social connectedness outdoor space interventions targeted at children and youth (19 years and under) in Australia and New Zealand, Canada, Europe and the United States. We determined if interventions were effective by analyzing their research design, confidence intervals and reported limitations, and then conducted a narrative synthesis of the effective interventions.

resultsWe found 104 unique studies, of which 70 (67%) were determined to be effective. Overall, 55 interventions targeted physical activity outcomes, 10 targeted social connectedness outcomes and 5 targeted both. Play (n = 47) and contact with nature (n = 25) were dominant themes across interventions, with most taking place in a school or park. We report on the identifying features, limitations and implications of these interventions.

conclusionThe incorporation of natural and play-focussed elements into outdoor spaces may be effective ways to improve physical activity and social connectedness. There is a considerable need for more Canadian-specific research. Novel methods, such as incorporating smartphone technology into the design and evaluation of these interventions, warrant consideration.

Indexed as

ExercisePlay and PlaythingsSocial FacilitationAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolHealth PromotionHumansNatureYoung Adultadolescentchildenvironment designexercisenaturerecreational parkreviewsocial capital

Identifiers

PMID32270668
PMCPMC7197641

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.