Having nearby facilities matters: Adolescents’ neighborhood-based activities in rural contexts

Background

Adolescence is marked by declining physical activity and increasing loneliness. Neighborhood activity facilities may encourage adolescents to be physically and socially active, highlighting the potential role of everyday environments in supporting leisure engagement. Research examining whether access to activity facilities supports neighborhood-based activities is limited, particularly in rural contexts where facilities are more dispersed. This study aimed to examine associations between access to neighborhood activity facilities and adolescents’ neighborhood-based physical and social activities in rural settings.

Methods

This cross-sectional study combined survey data from 924 5th – 10th graders attending 23 schools across six Norwegian municipalities with geospatial data on neighborhood activity facilities. Associations between adolescents’ neighborhood-based physical and social activities and access to facilities within a 500 m residential buffer were examined using generalized estimating equations. Analyses were adjusted for sex, school level, socioeconomic status, and population density.

Results

Of the 924 adolescents, 50% participated in neighborhood-based physical activities and 71% in informal social activities with peers at least 1–2 times per week. Access to an indoor sports facility within 500 m was associated with higher odds of frequent neighborhood physical activity (OR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.20–2.94). Access to an indoor sports facility (OR = 1.91, 95% CI 1.28–2.87) and a playground (OR = 1.62, 95% CI 1.16–2.25) was associated with more frequent participation in informal social activities.

Conclusions

Access to facilities alone may be insufficient to support adolescents’ neighborhood-based activities in rural settings. Different types of facilities appear to support engagement in distinct activities, with indoor sports facilities potentially serving as weather-independent and socially salient spaces for activity and peer interaction.

Key messages

• Having access to an indoor sports facility in the immediate neighborhood supports physical and social neighborhood activity among adolescents in rural areas.

• Planning for health-promoting rural communities should ensure nearby access to year round activity facilities, recognizing them as essential infrastructure for both physical and social activities.