The Moderating Role of Social Neighbourhood Factors in the Association between Features of the Physical Neighbourhood Environment and Weight Status

Abstract

Background: This paper investigated the independent and joint associations between aspects of the physical neighbourhood environment and social neighbourhood factors with BMI and overweight status in European adults. Methods: Data from 5,199 participants in the SPOTLIGHT survey were analysed. Participants reported on their height, weight and perceptions of the neighbourhood. Objectively measured aspects of the physical neighbourhood environment included: presence of recreational facilities, features of the active transportation environment, neighbourhood aesthetics and presence of different types of food outlets. Social factors included the self-reported variables social network, social cohesion, social trust and perceived crime and the census variable neighbourhood socioeconomic status. Outcome measures were BMI and overweight status. Main associations between physical and social factors and BMI/overweight status were analysed using multilevel regression analyses adjusted for confounders. Moderation analysis was conducted by adding the interaction terms between physical and social neighbourhood factors one by one to the multivariable models. Significant interaction terms were then stratified. Results: Significant associations with BMI/overweight status were found for features of the active transportation environment and all social factors, except perceived crime. Several significant interaction terms were detected, but no significant associations between the physical neighbourhood environment and BMI/overweight status were found after stratification. Conclusion: We did not find consistent interactions between physical and social neighbourhood factors to explain BMI and overweight status.

Neighborhood Availability and Use of Food, Physical Activity, and Social Services Facilities in Relation to Overweight and Obesity in Children and Adolescents

“… 79 , 80 Given the positive impact of physical activity on children’s BMI, future research could explore whether the use of physical activity facilities is associated with overweight. Additionally, it has been suggested that participation in neighborhood initiatives could be important motivations to change health behavior, such as exercising more outdoors, 20 , 81 but we could not demonstrate that. Similar to the present study, Hoenink et al when evaluating 5199 adults from 5 European countries found no significant associations between overweight and availability of recreational facilities such as gyms, swimming pools, and sports clubs.…”

Role of perceived neighbourhood crime in the longitudinal association between perceived built environment and type 2 diabetes mellitus: a moderated mediation analysis

“…Similarly, some studies found no strong moderation effect of perceived crime and supermarkets on the association between environment and T2DM and body weight. 38 39 Others also found no strong association for area safety that also included violence 40 and objective crime 41 in relation to T2DM and BMI. Nevertheless, those who reported having footpaths and recreational facilities but reported unsafe crime seemingly had a higher T2DM odds.…”

Associations between Neighborhood Deprivation Index, Parent Perceptions and Preschooler Lifestyle Behaviors

“…The deprivation index data used were focused particularly on census data from 2011 (the most recently available during the recruitment process). The deprivation index range included being extremely disadvantaged (1), very disadvantaged (2), disadvantaged (3), marginally below average (4), marginally above average ( 5), affluent (6), very affluent (7), and extremely affluent (8). Due to the final sample size and in order to facilitate statistical analysis, the areas were then re-coded by collapsing responses 1-3 = high deprived; 4-5 = medium deprived; and 6-8 = low deprived.…”

“…For children, the neighborhood environment includes the food outlet(s) where their families purchase food, the streets and roadways on which they travel, the parks and playgrounds in which they spend leisure time, and the other children and adults with whom they interact [6]. Therefore, parent interactions with other residents, as well as the characteristics of a neighborhood, can influence perceptions of the neighborhood environment, both positively and negatively [7]. These perceptions are linked with psychosocial variables such as social support, social cohesion, and trust, as well as with other neighborhood factors such as a sense of safety (e.g., crime and traffic) and socioeconomic status [7].…”

“…Therefore, parent interactions with other residents, as well as the characteristics of a neighborhood, can influence perceptions of the neighborhood environment, both positively and negatively [7]. These perceptions are linked with psychosocial variables such as social support, social cohesion, and trust, as well as with other neighborhood factors such as a sense of safety (e.g., crime and traffic) and socioeconomic status [7]. These characteristics of the neigh-borhood environment may affect lifestyle behaviors, weight status, and general health of children [6,8].…”