A new study from the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit analysed associations between spatial access to physical activity facilities like sports halls, gyms and pools, and frequency of physical activity.

Over 500 working adults in west central Scotland were mapped, along with public and private physical activity facilities within 20 minutes walking distance of home and workplace postcodes. Respondents had relatively easy access to exercise facilities within both home and workplace neighbourhoods – 86% lived, and 89% worked, within a twenty minute walk of at least one sports hall, gym or pool. In comparison to home neighbourhoods, workplace neighbourhoods had significantly higher mean number of facilities of any type. However the physical activity facility type may be the key factor in influencing exercise levels; private, rather than public, facilities appeared to positively influence activity.

The paper is published in the International Journal of Health Geographics and is available here.

First published: 28 June 2018

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