It is probably true that a lot of people do not spend much time outside in their yard. Then again, there are those of us who do. This past week my family gathered for a birthday party and many of us spent half the time outside. On Monday and Tuesday I spent 2-3 hours each day outside. Wednesday was particularly nice so I sat outside for an hour in the afternoon reading with the dogs. Thursday I was again outside working in the yard for a couple hours. Friday I spent an hour in the vegetable garden. Despite it being cool, I will probably get out again this morning. Some people will say I spend most of my time outdoors working in the yard. Work? Yes, I suppose, but for me gardening is also a recreational pusuit, hobby, and passion as well as helping to keep me relaxed, sane, and happy. It is a reward each time I step outside, even if it is just to let the dogs out.
As one of my college profs used to say, n=1. My example may just be anecdotal, but I also see my neighbors doing the same. I start to wonder about the sampling of the study participants. Los Angeles may not have been the best choice, where people have excessive commutes, weather may be sunny but very hot, yards are often small, and the people are Californians. Normal people, perhaps, behave diffrently.