In the 2008 Outdoor Recreation Participation Report, the Outdoor Foundation found that while overall participation in outdoor recreation among Americans is increasing, the connection to nature among youth is declining.
According to the report, over 50% of Americans participated in outdoor recreation in 2007, getting outside 11.36 billion times. This is an increase to 138.4 Americans actively going outdoors from 134.4 million in 2006.
While the increase in participation comes as good news to the outdoor recreation industry, the report also reveals over an 11% decline in participation in outdoor activities among youth age 6 to 17 with the sharpest declines among youth age 6 to 12. Girls had the biggest decline falling from 77% to 61%. Boys fell from 79% to 72%.
“Children in America are suffering from the effects of obesity and inactivity at unprecedented levels,” said Chris Fanning, executive director of The Outdoor Foundation. “Teaching youth the benefits of a healthy active outdoor lifestyle will ensure healthier children, healthier communities, and healthier businesses.”
Among males, participation in outdoor activities exceeds participation in indoor activities and team ball sports for ages 25 to 65. Among females, although indoor fitness activities are more popular than team ball sports and outdoor activities for age groups 18 and under, participation in outdoor activities increases among female participants between 18 and 44.
The report also found that participation in outdoor activities is highest among Caucasians for all age groups and lowest among African Americans. Although the participation rate in outdoor activities is lower among Hispanics and African Americans than Caucasians, those who do participate get outside and make more outings than Caucasians.
Participation among African American youth is lower than Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander youth, and the consequences of this are evident in participation rates throughout adulthood.
