Melissa Nelson, Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #8120 University Square, Chapel Hill, NC 27516-3997, (919) 966-6158, Melissa_Nelson@unc.edu, Penny Gordon-Larsen, PhD, Schools of Public Health and Medicine, 123 W. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, and Barry Popkin, PhD, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carolina Population Center, 123 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516.

Introduction: Little is known about environmental determinants of physical activity. This study examined modifiable environmental factors that may contribute to disparities in activity and obesity in the US.

Methods: This sample included 45,781 census block groups from a nationally representative youth cohort. Using Geographic Information Systems, US Census data were linked with physical activity facilities data (primarily from Digital Yellow Pages). Facilities were categorized by type (e.g., private, public, instructional). Low socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods (n=4,144) were those in the highest quintile of minorities, highest quintile of households with income <$30,000, and lowest quintile of households with greater than high school education. High SES neighborhoods (n=2,336) were in the lowest quintile of minority population, lowest quintile of income, and highest quintile of education. Logistic regression predicted the odds that facilities were located in a high versus low SES neighborhood, controlling population density.

Results: Seventy-four percent of low SES neighborhoods had zero facilities compared to 63% of high SES neighborhoods. High SES neighborhoods were more likely to have a variety of facilities types (parks (odds ratio=5.2); public (4.6), instructional (6.0), fee (8.6), and member (30.2) facilities). Youth organizations were not differently distributed between low and high SES neighborhoods.

Conclusion: Low SES, high minority neighborhoods were less likely to have a variety of physical activity resources. This inequitable distribution of recreation opportunities may underlie disparities in activity and obesity patterns, and promoting accessible and affordable resources for physical activity in low SES neighborhoods will be an important direction for public policy.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the presentation, participants should be able to identify disparities in resources for physical activity among US neighborhoods by socioeconomic status and minority population.

Keywords: Health Disparities,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.