Parkrun event in Newcastle, UK
Alan Harbottle/Alami
Taking part in Parkrun – a free weekly event that encourages people to walk or run 5km – appears to increase life satisfaction.
Parkrun is a charity that runs events in 22 countries, including the UK, US and Australia. Previous research has shown that participating in Improve physical and mental health.
To learn more, Steve Hack Sheffield Hallam University in the UK and colleagues analyzed 548 people aged 18 to 83 who varied in their levels of physical activity. They were surveyed immediately after registering with Parkrun, which partially sponsored the study six months later. In the survey, participants rated their life satisfaction on a scale from 0 to 10.
Results showed that participating in Parkrun events was associated with an average increase in life satisfaction of about 0.25 points. For context, Britons generally reported a fall of 0.4 during the worst of the covid-19 pandemic, Haake said. Who are the members of the Parkrun Research Committee?.
Participants estimated that, on average, their life satisfaction increased by 0.25 points, 25% of which was attributable to Parkrun. While it’s a small improvement, “one of the things we say in public health is that small changes for a lot of people are actually very meaningful and worthwhile,” said Claire Stevenson at Loughborough University, UK.
Each person participates in an average of two Parkrun events. Haack says this may spur other life changes, such as becoming more active.
“Parkrun gives you a socially supportive, free environment – often in a beautiful park – which is very encouraging and can help people stick to a regular exercise routine that they might not otherwise do,” Sti Vincent said. “This has knock-on effects on health, weight, mental health and social well-being.”
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