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Do Neighborhood Parks And Playgrounds Reduce Childhood Obesity?

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  • Fan, Maoyong
  • Jin, Yanhong H.

Abstract

Promoting physical activity in children is an important front battling Childhood obesity. This paper investigates if and by how much neighborhood parks and playgrounds, one of the most important activity-enhancing neighborhood facilities, affect childhood obesity. We employ a covariate matching technique to analyze the 2007 National Survey of Children Health data. We find that neighborhood parks and playgrounds make children more fit. The reduction in body mass index (BMI) as well as the overweight or obesity risk is both statistically and economically significant. We also find that the park impact depends on gender, age, race, income, neighborhood safety, and other neighborhood amenities. The results suggest that a provision of neighborhood parks and playgrounds is likely to make children more fit, but relevant interventions need to take socioeconomic status of the targeted children population as well as other neighborhood amenities into consideration.

Suggested Citation

  • Fan, Maoyong & Jin, Yanhong H., 2012. "Do Neighborhood Parks And Playgrounds Reduce Childhood Obesity?," 2012 Annual Meeting, August 12-14, 2012, Seattle, Washington 123421, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aaea12:123421
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.123421
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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. [社会][経済]生きる
      by himaginary in himaginaryの日記 on 2012-06-27 12:00:00
    2. The fight against obesity: more city parks, please
      by Economic Logician in Economic Logic on 2012-06-26 19:26:00

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    Cited by:

    1. Maoyong Fan & Yanhong Jin, 2015. "Singleton status and childhood obesity: Investigating effects and mechanisms Status :," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 35(4), pages 2126-2140.
    2. Bongkyun Kim & Michael R. Thomsen & Rodolfo M. Nayga & Di Fang & Anthony Goudie, 2020. "Move More, Gain Less: Effect Of A Recreational Trail System On Childhood Bmi," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 38(2), pages 270-288, April.
    3. Nacho Sánchez-Valdivia & Carmen Pérez-del-Pulgar & Jeroen de Bont & Isabelle Anguelovski & Antonio López-Gay & Andrea Pistillo & Margarita Triguero-Mas & Talita Duarte-Salles, 2022. "Residential Proximity to Urban Play Spaces and Childhood Overweight and Obesity in Barcelona, Spain: A Population-Based Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-16, October.
    4. Alessandro Rigolon & Matthew H. E. M. Browning & Olivia McAnirlin & Hyunseo (Violet) Yoon, 2021. "Green Space and Health Equity: A Systematic Review on the Potential of Green Space to Reduce Health Disparities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-27, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; Health Economics and Policy;

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • R53 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Public Facility Location Analysis; Public Investment and Capital Stock

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