System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC): Reliability and Feasibility Measures.

BACKGROUND New tools are needed to examine physical activity and the contexts in which it occurs. Community parks contribute to physical activity, but measuring activity and associated variables in them is challenging because area contexts change and the numbers and characteristics of users are highly variable. METHODS We developed SOPARC (System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities) and tested its use by observing 16,244 individuals in 165 park areas. Reliabilities included 472 simultaneous measures by independent observers. RESULTS Correlations between observers on number of area participants was 0.99 for female and male park users. Reliabilities (i.e., percent agreement) for age (89%, females; 85%, males), race/ethnic (80%, females; 82%, males), and activity level (80%, females; 88%, males) groupings met acceptable criteria. Reliabilities for area contexts (i.e., usable, accessible, supervised, organized, equipped) exceeded 94%. CONCLUSIONS SOPARC is a reliable and feasible instrument for assessing physical activity and associated contextual data in community settings.

[1]  Hans van der Mars,et al.  Measuring Students’ Physical Activity Levels: Validating SOFIT for Use with High-School Students , 2004 .

[2]  J. Prochaska,et al.  Environmental interventions for eating and physical activity: a randomized controlled trial in middle schools. , 2003, American journal of preventive medicine.

[3]  J L Collins,et al.  Youth risk behavior surveillance--United States, 1995. , 1996, The Journal of school health.

[4]  A. Bauman,et al.  Environmental and policy interventions to promote physical activity. , 1998, American journal of preventive medicine.

[5]  A. Mowen,et al.  An Examination of Park Preferences and Behaviors Among Urban Residents: The Role of Residential Location, Race, and Age , 2002 .

[6]  B E Ainsworth,et al.  Compendium of physical activities: an update of activity codes and MET intensities. , 2000, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[7]  Ariane L. Bedimo-Rung,et al.  The significance of parks to physical activity and public health: a conceptual model. , 2005, American journal of preventive medicine.

[8]  Physical activity levels among children aged 9-13 years--United States, 2002. , 2003, MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report.

[9]  Gregory J. Welk,et al.  Physical Activity Assessments for Health-Related Research , 2002 .

[10]  N. Brener,et al.  Physical Education and Activity: Results from the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2000 , 2003, The Journal of school health.

[11]  J. Sallis,et al.  SOFIT: System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time , 1992 .

[12]  Laura Kann,et al.  Youth risk behavior surveillance--United States, 2003. , 2004, Morbidity and mortality weekly report. Surveillance summaries.

[13]  J. Bailey,et al.  Behavioral school psychology goes outdoors: the effect of organized games on playground aggression. , 1983, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[14]  Connie Lim,et al.  Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance--United States, 2009. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Surveillance Summaries. Volume 59, Number SS-5. , 2004 .

[15]  F Vinicor,et al.  The continuing epidemics of obesity and diabetes in the United States. , 2001, JAMA.

[16]  A. Rocchini,et al.  Childhood obesity and a diabetes epidemic. , 2002, The New England journal of medicine.

[17]  Christine M. Hoehner,et al.  Perceived and objective environmental measures and physical activity among urban adults. , 2005, American journal of preventive medicine.

[18]  B. Ainsworth,et al.  Researching Leisure and Physical Activity with Women of Color: Issues and Emerging Questions , 2001 .

[19]  Shrikant I Bangdiwala,et al.  Energy costs of physical activities in children and adolescents. , 2005, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[20]  N. Owen,et al.  Environmental Determinants of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior , 2000, Exercise and sport sciences reviews.

[21]  Philip W. Scruggs,et al.  Quantifying physical activity via pedometry in elementary physical education. , 2003, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[22]  M. Floyd,et al.  Contributions of leisure studies and recreation and park management research to the active living agenda. , 2005, American journal of preventive medicine.

[23]  G. Colditz,et al.  Activity, inactivity, and obesity: racial, ethnic, and age differences among schoolgirls. , 1993, American journal of public health.

[24]  N. Owen,et al.  Environmental factors associated with adults' participation in physical activity: a review. , 2002, American journal of preventive medicine.

[25]  J. Sallis,et al.  Leisure-time physical activity in school environments: an observational study using SOPLAY. , 2000, Preventive medicine.

[26]  T. Patterson,et al.  BEACHES: an observational system for assessing children's eating and physical activity behaviors and associated events. , 1991, Journal of applied behavior analysis.