Relationships Between Neighborhoods, Physical Activity, and Obesity: A Multilevel Analysis of a Large Canadian City

Abstract

In Canada, there is limited research examining the associations between objectively measured neighborhood environments and physical activity (PA) and obesity. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between variables from built and social environments and PA and overweight/obesity across 86 Ottawa, Canada neighborhoods. Individual-level data including self-reported leisure-time PA (LTPA), height, and weight were examined in a sample of 4,727 adults from four combined cycles (years 2001/03/05/07) of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). Data on neighborhood characteristics were obtained from the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study (ONS); a large study of neighborhoods and health in Ottawa, Canada. Binomial multivariate multilevel models were used to examine the relationships between environmental and individual variables with LTPA and overweight/obesity using survey weights in men and women separately. Within the sample, ~75% of the adults were inactive (<3.0 kcal/kg/day) while half were overweight/obese. Results of the multilevel models suggested that for females greater park area was associated with increased odds of LTPA and overweight/obesity. Greater neighborhood density of convenience stores and fast food outlets were associated with increased odds of females being overweight/obese. Higher crime rates were associated with greater odds of LTPA in males, and lower odds of male and female overweight/obesity. Season was significantly associated with PA in men and women; the odds of LTPA in winter months were half that of summer months. Findings revealed that park area, crime rates, and neighborhood food outlets may have different roles with LTPA and overweight/obesity in men and women and future prospective studies are needed.

Associação entre a percepção de atributos ambientais e excesso de peso: um estudo realizado em um município de pequeno porte

“…As evidências da influência do ambiente no estilo de vida dos indivíduos e, consequentemente no estado nutricional, são crescentes em estudos conduzidos tanto no exterior 12,19,22,25,26,27,28,29 como no Brasil 24,30 . Entretanto, o presente estudo foi inédito em investigar a relação entre a percepção de atributos ambientais e o estado nutricional em adultos residentes em uma cidade de pequeno porte no país.…”

“…Estudos mostraram que indivíduos que relataram insatisfação em relação ao bairro de residência e percepção desfavorável em relação ao trânsito, segurança, barulho, calçadas e locais para prática de exercícios e recreação apresentaram maior chance de ocorrência de excesso de peso. Vizinhanças mais limpas, arborizadas, com menores taxas de criminalidade, com calçamento adequado, presença de estruturas próprias para recreação e prática de exercícios e maior disponibilidade de estabelecimentos que vendem alimentos saudá-veis parecem ter associação inversa com o índice de massa corporal (IMC) 10,17,18,19,20,21,22,23 .…”

“…A relação entre os efeitos do ambiente e desfechos de saúde vêm sendo amplamente investigada em estudos internacionais 12,19,22,25,26,27,28,29 . No Brasil, o tema foi previamente explorado em regiões altamente urbanizadas 24,30 .…”

O efeito da vulnerabilidade social sobre indicadores antropométricos de obesidade: resultados de estudo epidemiológico de base populacional

“…In the last decades, some studies aimed at investigating the determinants of positive energy balance beyond the purely individual dimension [5][6][7] . However, studies investigating the environmental characteristics in determining the overall or central obesity are still scarce, and efforts to understand the contextual effects are incipient.…”

“…In addition to socioeconomic factors and their relationship already well known in relation to obesity 7,31,32 , there is a consensus that the neighborhood also has an important effect on obesity, since its characteristics can modulate the effect of individual-level determinants. Despite several studies have pointed out, in the last two decades, that the urban environment adversely affects the health of its inhabitants, not much is known about the mechanisms related to the combined action of the physical environment and social factors on the onset of ecological exposures that may generate inequalities in health status among different population groups 30 .…”