Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Healthy Body Weight Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #282101
Title: Neighbourhood parks and reduction in stress among adolescents: Results from Buffalo, New York

Author
item FEDA, DENISE - State University Of New York (SUNY)
item SEELBINDER, APRIL - State University Of New York (SUNY)
item BAEK, SON-HYON - State University Of New York (SUNY)
item RAJA, SAMINA - State University Of New York (SUNY)
item YIN, LI - State University Of New York (SUNY)
item Roemmich, James

Submitted to: Indoor and Built Environment
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/24/2014
Publication Date: 8/1/2015
Citation: Feda, D.M., Seelbinder, A., Baek, S., Raja, S., Yin, L., Roemmich, J.N. 2015. Neighbourhood parks and reduction in stress among adolescents: Results from Buffalo, New York. Indoor and Built Environment. 24(5):631-639.

Interpretive Summary: The presence of green space or parks in an adolescents’ built environment may protect against daily psychological stress. Physical activity may also buffer the effects of stress. This study determined the association between objective measures of neighborhood park area and the usual stress of adolescents, while controlling for physical activity. Regression was used to test the association of park area and the interaction of park and gender with usual stress while controlling for socioeconomic status and physical activity. Separate models of neighborhood total park area (ft2) (ß = -0.000007, p = 0.05) and percentage of park area (ß = -67.53, p = 0.03) both predicted usual stress. Access to neighborhood parks may buffer usual stress of adolescents, even when controlling for socioeconomic status and the protective effects of exercise on stress.

Technical Abstract: The presence of green space or parks in adolescents’ built environment may protect against daily psychological stress. Physical activity may also buffer the effects of stress. This study determined the association between objective measures of neighborhood park area and the usual stress of adolescents, while controlling for physical activity. Multiple regression was used to test the association of park area and the interaction of park and gender with usual stress while controlling for socioeconomic status and physical activity. Separate models of neighborhood total park area (ft2) (ß = -0.000007, p = 0.05) and percentage of park area (ß = -67.53, p = 0.03) both predicted usual stress. Access to neighborhood parks may buffer usual stress of adolescents, even when controlling for socioeconomic status and the protective effects of exercise on stress.