Link between community safety and exercise

Recent studies have shown that unsafe neighbourhoods are discouraging

people from outdoor exercise. One out of every 4 adult Canadians is
physically inactive but making street safe may encourage sedentary adults to
get out and exercise. People, especially the elderly and ethnics minorities,
who feel that their neighbourhoods are unsafe, are less likely to exercise
according to a study released by the federal government.
This study, based on the response of over 11,000 people in Ontario, Quebec,
British Columbia and Nova Scotia, found that about 25% of people were
physically inactive. The groups most likely to be inactive were people over 65
years old, women, ethnic minorities, those with low eduction and those with
an annual income of below $25,000.
Reasons for the inactively varied, but in general, people who perceived their
neighbourhoods to be high in crime were the least likely to participate in
physical activity. The elderly seemed to show the strongest link between
safety and exercise. The report showed that 63% of the older people who
lived in "extremely safe" neighbourhoods.
Among ethnic minorities, only 30% of people in safe neighbourhoods were
sedentary compared to 45% of people in unsafe area.
This report suggests that if we can't make our neighbourhoods safer, we
should look at coming up with alternatives for these groups to make sure they
are receiving the recommended amount of physical activity. Some possible
solutions could involve a more community-based approach with group
activities and outside support. Such efforts could increase community
togetherness and allow access for older adults to engage in physical activity.

Sand safer playground surface than grass

When it comes to safety, sand appears to be a better playground surface
than grasseven though you will have more to clean when they come home.
According to a report in Journal of Municipal Community Health, the risk of
serious fractures and head injuries to children was nearly twice as high on
grass as on sand surfaces. Serious injuries were also more likely to occur at
home, where grass is the most common outdoor surface, than at public
playgrounds, researchers report.
Grass is not a good protective surface beneath play equipment, the authors
write. A child is more likely to have a head injury or fracture when failing on
grass compared with sand.

Investigators looked at children aged 1 to 14 years who were seen in tow

emergency departments in Montreal after they fell while they were playing on
playground equipment. A total of 930 such injuries were reported during two
summers.
The findings were disappointing. Thompson remarked. One major concern
was the lack of adult supervision. Adults are not going to playgrounds with
children as much as they should, or they are not paying attention to the
children playing, Thompson said. Adult supervision was observed in 93% of
child-care centre playgrounds in contrast to 74% of school playgrounds.
More than half -- 55% -- suffered a broken bone and 12% sustained a head
injury. More than 70% of severe injuries occurred to childrens arms and 17%
of severe injuries occurred to the head, the report indicates. Children playing
on grass had a nearly 70% greater risk of injury compared with those playing
on sand.