Nowhere to play? The relationship between the location of outdoor play areas and deprivation in Glasgow

Abstract

Childhood obesity is rising and this rise has been linked to a decrease in physical activity. Access to appropriate facilities for physical activity is a key determinant of participation. This paper investigates the provision of outdoor play areas for children in relation to area deprivation in Glasgow, Scotland. Analysis of the distribution of outdoor play areas showed significantly higher mean number of play areas per 1000 child population in more deprived areas. However, despite the apparent advantage of deprived areas in terms of actual number of play areas, the quality of play areas in different types of areas may warrant further exploration.