Changes in BMI over 6 years: the role of demographic and neighborhood characteristics

• Published in: International Journal of Obesity Vol. 34; no. 8; pp. 1275 - 1283
• Main Authors: Berry, T R, Spence, J C, Blanchard, C, Cutumisu, N, Edwards, J, Nykiforuk, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.08.2010; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/158/2455; 692/699/2743/393; 706/689/523; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alberta; Architecture; Architecture as Topic; at-risk population; Biological and medical sciences; Body Mass Index; Built environment; Canada; Canada - epidemiology; Cardiovascular disease; Census; Connectivity; crime; Cross-Sectional Studies; Demographic aspects; Education; Environment. Living conditions; Epidemiology; Exercise; Female; Fruits; Geographic information systems; Health Behavior; Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; human health; Humans; infrastructure; Internal Medicine; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Neighborhoods; Obesity; Obesity - epidemiology; Obesity - psychology; original-article; Overweight; Perceptions; Physical education; physical fitness; physiology; psychology; Public Health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; quality of life; residential areas; Risk factors; Social classes; sociodemographic characteristics; Socioeconomic Factors; socioeconomic status; Socioeconomics; Surveys and Questionnaires; Traffic; urban areas; Urban environments; Vegetables; walking; Walking - physiology; Young Adult; Canada; Alberta Canada; Alberta; walkability; BMI change; built environment; longitudinal; Social environment; Social influence; Obesity; Urban environment; Nutrition; Nutrition disorder; Metabolic diseases; Residential neighborhoods; Change; Locomotion; Body mass index; Walking; Health and environment; Urbanization; Nutritional status; Public health
• ISSN: 0307-0565; 1476-5497; 1476-5497
• DOI: 10.1038/ijo.2010.36

Objective: To undertake a 6-year longitudinal investigation of the relationship between the built environment (perceived and objectively measured) and change in body mass index (BMI). Specifically, this research examined whether change in BMI was predicted by objectively measured neighborhood walkability and socioeconomic status (SES), and perceived neighborhood characteristics (for example, crime, traffic and interesting things to look at) in addition to other factors such as age, gender, education, physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption and smoking. Design: Longitudinal study Subjects: 500 adults who provided complete data in 2002 and 2008 and who did not move over the course of the study (47.8% female; age in 2002: 18–90 years). Measurements: Telephone surveys in 2002 and 2008 measuring perceptions of their neighborhood environment and demographic factors. Objective measures of neighborhood characteristics were calculated using census data and geographical information systems in 2006. Results: Age, neighborhood SES and perceived traffic were significantly related to increased BMI over the 6 years. Younger participants and those in lower SES neighborhoods were more likely to have increased BMI. Agreement with the statement that traffic made it difficult to walk also predicted increased BMI. Conclusion: This study adds to the literature to show that BMI increased in low SES neighborhoods. Although more research is needed to fully understand how neighborhood SES contributes to obesity, it is without question that individuals in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods face more barriers to health than their wealthier counterparts. This study also calls into question the relationship between walkability and changes in BMI and emphasizes the necessity of longitudinal data rather than relying on cross-sectional research.