Longitudinal associations with changes in outdoor recreation area use for physical activity during a community-based intervention

• Little is known about longitudinal predictors of park/trail use.
• We modeled cross-sectional and longitudinal predictors of park/trail use.
• Cross-sectional predictors were physical activity, self-efficacy, & social support.
• Longitudinal predictors included social support and lighter neighborhood traffic.
• Physical and social environment factors are important predictors of park/trail use.

Outdoor recreation areas (ORA) are important resources for physical activity (PA) and health promotion. While past research has identified correlates of ORA use, few studies have examined predictors of longitudinal changes in park- and trail-based PA in community settings.Using data from a 6-month community-based walking intervention study, we examined cross-sectional and longitudinal predictors of PA in ORAs. Data were collected from baseline and 6-month assessments from participants (n = 295) in a group walking intervention in South Carolina; participants enrolled from January 2012-May 2013. A decomposition scheme was used to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal predictors of average group ORA use for PA, including social support, self-efficacy for PA, perceptions of neighborhood environment, and accelerometer-based PA, adjusting for gender. On average, participants were 49.4 + 13.3 years old, 66.1% were Black, and the majority were women. There was a mean increase in group ORA use of 2.1 + 0.4 days/month from baseline to 6 months. Cross-sectionally, higher levels of the percentage of time in MVPA, self-efficacy, and social support were associated with greater group-average ORA use. Longitudinally, increased social support from friends and rating of lighter motorized traffic were associated with increased group ORA use. Additionally, longitudinal increases in percentage of MVPA and more favorable rating of the neighborhood as a place to walk were both associated with decreased group ORA use. Better understanding how social and physical environmental characteristics impact ORA use for PA can lead to more effective intervention strategies and warrants greater attention in future research and public health promotion efforts.