Are independent mobility and territorial range associated with park visitation among youth?

Table 1 Characteristics of study sample (2010–11 Victoria, Australia)

Characteristics of the child
Sex (% boys)	44.7
Age (years; mean (SD))	12.2 (2.19)
Attending primary school (%)	55.0
Resides in rural area (%)	69.5
Maternal education (%)
<12 years	20.2
12 years	46.4
>12 years	33.4
Frequency of visitation to usual park visited^a (%)
Most days	15.5
Once per week	21.4
Several times per month	32.2
Once per month	10.3
Less than once per month	14.2
Have not visited in past 6 months	6.44
Usual mode of transport used when visiting park^a (%)
Car	13.0
Walking	57.1
Cycling	21.6
Scooter/skateboard	8.2
Independent mobility to parks (%)
Regularly walks^b alone to parks/playgrounds	15.3
Regularly walks^b with friends or siblings (no adults) to parks/playgrounds	24.8
Regularly cycles^c alone to parks/playgrounds,	13.2
Regularly cycles^c with friends or siblings (no adults) to parks/playgrounds	18.8
Territorial range (%)
Allowed to roam >15 minutes from home alone	37.0
Allowed to roam >15 minutes from home with friends	49.5

^aAmong those who visit park(s) (n = 233).
^bAmong those who reported that a park/playground was within walking distance from home (n = 262).
^cAmong those who reported that a park/playground was within cycling distance from home (n = 272).

ISSN: 1479-5868