Nearby facilities support adolescents’ neighborhood-based leisure activities

Background:
Leisure activities outside organized settings contribute to adolescents’ physical activity levels and social participation. The neighborhood environment may be particularly important for supporting such activities, as nearby facilities can enable spontaneous and self-directed use. However, few studies have examined how the availability of neighborhood facilities are associated with adolescents’ engagement in neighborhood-based leisure activities, especially in rural and semi-rural contexts. The aim of this study was to examine whether the availability of facilities for self-directed activities is associated with neighborhood-based leisure activities among adolescents across different levels of rurality.

Methods:
In this cross-sectional study, adolescents aged 10–16 years (N=1,123) from six Norwegian municipalities with varying degrees of rurality completed a questionnaire assessing engagement in neighborhood-based physical and social leisure activities. Physical activities included self-directed outdoor activities (e.g., basketball, skateboarding, swimming), while social activities captured frequency of meeting friends outdoors. Geographic Information Systems were used to quantify the availability of neighborhood facilities (schools, recreational and cultural facilities) within 500- and 1,600-meters buffers around participants’ home addresses. Logistic regression models examined associations between facility availability and leisure activities, adjusting for age, gender, socioeconomic status, and rurality.

Results:
Approximately half (50.2%) of the adolescents reported engaging in self-directed neighborhood activities, while 70.2% reported spending leisure time outdoors with friends. Greater availability of neighborhood facilities was associated with higher odds of both outcomes. For self-directed activities, the availability of cultural facilities (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02–1.15) and schools (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01–1.10) within 500 meters showed consistent positive associations. For social activities with friends, the availability of recreational, cultural, and school facilities was associated with higher odds, particularly for facilities located within 500 meters (e.g., cultural facilities: OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.02–1.18). Associations were generally stronger for facilities located closer to home.


Conclusions:
These findings highlight the importance of neighborhood design and proximity to facilities that support adolescents’ physical and social leisure activities outside organized settings. Ensuring nearby facilities may be a key strategy for promoting active, socially connected, and health-supportive neighborhoods for adolescents across different levels of rurality.