Promoting Youth’s Physical Activity through Park Design: Linking Theory and Practice in a Public Health Perspective

Young people are increasingly prone to physical inactivity, which may have severe negative effects on their health in adulthood. The aim of this literature review was to identify components and characteristics of parks that have an effect on youth physical activity, and to discuss how these findings can be applied in park design. The results show that access to green space is the most frequently reported predictor of park use among youth. The review identified a range of characteristics and components of urban green spaces important to youth physical activity. These include sports fields/facilities for movement, walkways and paths, shadow and shelter, trees, water elements, maintenance, renovation, form and size, openness, naturalness and safety. The study identifies some shortcomings in the currently available literature on the topic. Studies investigating the importance of specific park components and characteristics are few, and youth is an understudied age group.