Resources for the Future Godbey
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the salient issues. Throughout, the reader will find questions that identify research gaps—an indication that the subject area is fertile ground for additional attention.
Section 2 considers how being outside in natural surroundings may improve health, and Section 3, how outdoor physical activities benefit participants. Section 4 examines children’s health problems—obesity and hyperactivity in particular—that can be mitigated through outdoor play, sports, and nature study.
Section 5 describes approaches to measuring physical activity and recent trends in park visitation and outdoor activity participation, and Section 6 looks at the many variables that affect people’s participation in outdoor activities. Section 7 considers the projected demographic changes that will affect policymaking in this arena. The concluding section brainstorms policy options.