Is there a robust relationship between neighbourhood food environment and childhood obesity in the USA?

Abstract

SUMMARY Objectives To examine the robustness of the relationship between neighbourhood food environment and youth body mass index (BMI) percentile using alternative measures of food environment and model specifications. Study design Observational study using individual-level longitudinal survey data of children in fifth and eighth grades merged with food outlet data based on student residential census tracts. Methods The relationship between food environment and BMI was examined with two individual outcomes (BMI percentile in eighth grade and change in BMI percentile from fifth to eighth grade) and three alternative measures of food environment (per-capita counts of a particular outlet type, food environment indices, and indicators for specific combinations of outlet types). Results No consistent evidence was found across measures (counts of a particular type of food outlet per population, food environment indices, and indicators for the presence of specific combinations of types of food stores) and outcomes to support the hypothesis that improved access to large supermarkets results in lower youth BMI; or that greater exposure to fast food restaurants, convenience stores and small food stores increases BMI. Conclusions To the extent that there is an association between food environment and youth BMI, the existence of more types of food outlets in an area, including supermarkets, is associated with higher BMI.

Chemical and non-chemical stressors affecting childhood obesity: a systematic scoping review

“…In 2011, Leung et al 114 suggested that residents with more produce vendors or farmers markets nearby had a lower risk of being overweight/ obese. On the other hand, Shier et al 115 found no consistent evidence to support the idea that more grocery stores lowered youth BMI or that greater exposure to fast-food restaurants, convenience stores, and small food stores increased BMI.…”

Geographic and socioeconomic distribution of food vendors: a case study of a municipality in the Southern Brazil

“…The presence of a supermarket in the neighborhood is controversial: on the one hand, there is a great variety of fresh and healthy foods at competitive prices 38 ; on the other hand, there is also a great variety of cheap unhealthy foods, such as soda, sweets, snacks, and frozen dinners 39 . Moreover, advertising encourages people to buy products that are not on promotion, increasing their food expenditures 31 .…”

A food desert in Detroit: associations with food shopping and eating behaviours, dietary intakes and obesity

“…(30,31) . Future research could help answer this question by considering together areas in which people work as well as where they live, which we did not do in the present study.…”