Low-income teens use parks less, citing safety concerns,
UCLA research shows
California teenagers who live close to a park or open space
are more likely to get exercise than those who live in areas without parks
nearby, a new policy brief from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
shows.
While the findings might not be surprising, they are
important in park-starved areas of California. Across the state, only 25
percent of adolescents live near a park or open space. But those who do seem to
benefit, according to the study, which linked 2009 California Health Interview
Survey data to park locations provided by the Trust for Public Land.