Parks and Recreation Areas for Physical Activity: Barriers and Incentives

This study focused on studying parameters related to physical activities of users of parks and recreation areas. The study population was consisted of those participants who visited park and recreation areas in Ankara Province while the study sample was consisted of 289 voluntary participants. 123 participants were male participants and 166 participants were female participants. In the study; "Physical Activity Venue Evaluation Scale” which was developed by Stanis et al. (2009) and Turkish adaptation study of which was conducted by Gümüş et al. (2015) was used as data collection tool. To analyze the data found in the study; descriptive statistical methods (percentages/frequency), t-Test for pairwise comparisons, one-way analysis of variance for determining the differences among two or more independent groups and Post-Hoc Bonferroni Test were employed. It was identified that the participants' physical activity venue evaluation scale scores did not differ statistically in terms of such variables as gender, educational status, marital status and body mass index. However, it was found that there was a statistically significant difference in the scores of physical activity venue evaluation scale, choice of physical activity space on behalf of those who did not perform physical activities regularly in terms of variable of performing physical activities regularly. Also; a statistically significant difference was found in the scores of physical activity location selection, factors preventing physical activity participation on behalf of those aged 42-53 years in terms of age variable. As a result of the study; it may be suggested that variables of gender, educational status, marital status and body mass index did not affect choosing physical activity space and physical activity participation whereas variable of doing sports regularly affected choosing physical activity space and age variable affected frequency of physical activity participation.