Neighborhood Deprivation, Supermarket Availability, and BMI in Low-Income Women: A Multilevel Analysis

Abstract

High levels of neighborhood deprivation and lack of access to supermarkets have been associated with increased risk of obesity in women. This multilevel study used a statewide dataset (n = 21,166) of low-income women in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children to determine whether the association between neighborhood deprivation and BMI is mediated by the availability of retail food stores, and whether this relationship varied across the urban rural continuum. Residence in a high deprivation neighborhood was associated with a 0.94 unit increase in BMI among women in metropolitan areas. The relationship between tract deprivation and BMI was not linear among women in micropolitan areas, and no association was observed in rural areas. The presence of supermarkets or other retail food stores did not mediate the association between deprivation and BMI among women residing in any of the study areas. These results suggest that level of urbanity influences the effect of neighborhood condition on BMI among low-income women, and that the availability of supermarkets and other food stores does not directly influence BMI among low-income populations.

A comparison of a social support physical activity intervention in weight management among post-partum Latinas

“…Many acculturation measures assess language use and comfort with the use of native language; however, emerging thought considers that other factors, such as length of time in the country and contextual nuances of neighborhood life, might contribute to sedentary behavior and obesity [66–68]. Research suggests that immigration status, length of residence in the U.S., socioeconomic status, and residential environment might play a much larger role in the health statue of culturally diverse and immigrant women than previously thought.…”

Obesity and the Food Environment Among Minority Groups

“…In addition, Richardson et al [86••] found that neighborhood race disparities were most pronounced in lowdensity urban (largely suburban) areas where high-poverty/ high-minority areas had lower availability of grocery/supermarkets, and conveniences stores, and greater availability of fast-food restaurants than low-poverty/low-minority areas. Nevertheless, few studies consider variability in retail food environment effects based on urbanicity [87]. Healthy food availability, affordability, and quality might be a proxy for other aspects of neighborhood deprivation, such as crime and low economic viability, which may also contribute to poor dietary intake and obesity risk [88].…”

Early Community Contexts, Race/Ethnicity and Young Adult CVD Risk Factors: The Protective Role of Education

“…First, youth in lower-SES level communities may experience structural disadvantages including less access to healthy food [16,17], limited safe environments to exercise [18], and environmental health risk factors such as substandard housing and dangerous street traffic [19,20]. These structural disadvantages may damage youth's health and carry over into adulthood [21,22] increasing the risk for CVD.…”