ArticleThe international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity2025
Evaluating the impact of park renovation on park-based physical activity: a natural experiment in Belgium with two years of follow-up.
Article in The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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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.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Long-term impacts of co-designed sustainable park improvements on physical activity and other wellbeing behaviours: a 7-year natural experimental study in a deprived urban area.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2026Article
- Evaluating the impact of park renovation on park-based physical activity: a natural experiment in Belgium with two years of follow-up.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundParks are valuable resources to promote physical activity (PA) among all ages. However, studies investigating the longer-term effect of park renewal on park-based PA are scarce and have not been conducted in Europe. This study builds upon prior research investigating the immediate effects of a total park renewal in Belgium on park-based PA. Specifically, it examines the overall and age-specific effects of the renewal one year and two years after its completion, providing insights into the longer-term impact on park-based PA.
methodsA natural experiment was conducted by observing the behaviour of the park visitors in two urban public parks (i.e., intervention and control park). The intervention involved extensive park renewal, including increased size, adding outdoor fitness equipment, a multi-use sports cage, six playgrounds targeting children of different ages, various benches, wheelchair-accessible picnic tables, wide concrete pathways, and removal of low vegetation. Observations were performed before, immediately after, and one and two years after the renewal using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities. The number of visitors observed sedentary, walking or vigorously active were recorded according to age group and mean PA intensity levels were calculated. General(ized) linear models were fitted to assess the effect of the renewal on visitors’ PA in the park.
resultsOverall, an increase was observed in the total number of visitors engaged in sedentary and vigorous activities one and two years after the renewal. However, no evidence for effects were found for the total number of visitors observed walking or for the mean PA intensity levels of the visitors. There were some age-specific differences: the number of adults and older adults observed sedentary increased, whereas no such effect was found for children or adolescents. Positive effects were observed for the number of adolescents, adults and older adults observed walking. Additionally, the number of children, adolescents and older adults engaging in vigorous PA increased in the intervention park compared to the control park.
conclusionExtensive urban park renewal can increase both sedentary and active visitor numbers one and two years post-renewal, although effects vary across age groups.
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