Dr Quigg, a postdoctoral research fellow in the university's Cancer Society Social and Behavioural Research Unit, said yesterday increasing children's physical activity, including through more use of playgrounds, was likely to bring significant health benefits, including reduced weight, improved heart health and potentially reduced cancer risk in later life.
There were about 400 public parks in the greater Dunedin area, 100 of them with playgrounds. Some cities in more heavily populated countries offered less access to playgrounds.
Health professionals, including at Otago University, have voiced concern that about 30% of New Zealand youngsters are overweight or obese.
Dr Quigg has undertaken internationally cutting-edge research on playground use in Dunedin, including a study of about 180 children, many of them monitored for about a week with GPS devices and accelerometers, the latter to measure their activity.
Her research suggests many Dunedin playgrounds are still popular. Their use peaked on Saturdays, when 64% of children visited a park, and 40% visited a park with a playground.
She presented her latest findings at an international scientific conference at Rome in May.
