ISSN 1789-8919
e-ISSN 2786-1562
The aim of our study is to present the recreational sports of the recently renovated Erzsébet-liget, the largest public park in Szeged, through the composition and sporting habits of adult recreational athletes, with special attention to gender differences. We hypothesise that the socio-demographic backgrounds of adult men and women who play recreational sports in the 'Liget', the characteristics of access to the park, the use and satisfaction with the training facilities and the motivation for choosing the park as a sports venue do not differ significantly. However, we found that there is a difference in the frequency and extent of sporting activity in favour of men.
Our data were collected by random field sampling, using an anonymous paper questionnaire (N=108). Pearson's Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and Spearman's rank correlation procedure were used to explore relationships between variables, and a Likert scale to measure satisfaction.
The athletes were characterised by a young age composition, a high proportion of graduates and a high proportion of employed persons, with significant differences between male and female indicators. The distance and mode of access to the 'Liget' and the time of day of sporting activity also showed no gender differences. However, women took significantly more time than men in reaching the park. Men were more active than women in terms of both frequency and duration of exercise.
The most popular places to exercise were running tracks, open grass areas and outdoor fitness facilities. No gender differences were found in the choice of sports facilities, satisfaction with them and preparation for training. Athletes come to the ’Liget’ primarily for the good air, the love of nature and the plastic-covered running track, and although there were some differences in preferences between men and women, the differences were not statistically significant.
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