Longitudinal Influences of Neighbourhood Built and Social Environment on Children’s Weight Status

Maria Gose, Sandra Plachta-Danielzik, Bianca Willié, Maike Johannsen, Beate Landsberg and Manfred J. Müller
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Maria Gose: Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 17, Kiel 24105, Germany
Sandra Plachta-Danielzik: Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 17, Kiel 24105, Germany
Bianca Willié: Centre for Geoinformation, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Neufeldtstraße 10, Kiel 24118, Germany
Maike Johannsen: Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 17, Kiel 24105, Germany
Beate Landsberg: Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 17, Kiel 24105, Germany
Manfred J. Müller: Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 17, Kiel 24105, Germany

IJERPH, 2013, vol. 10, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: The objective was to examine longitudinal 4-year-relationships between neighbourhood social environment and children’s body mass index-standard deviation score (BMI-SDS) taking into account the built environment. Furthermore, we have analysed the influence of potential interactions between the social environment and family/social data on children’s BMI-SDS. Between 2006–2008 and 2010–2012, anthropometric measurements were conducted among 485 children (age at baseline: 6.1 (5.8–6.4)). Socio-demographic characteristics and perception of residential environment were reported by parents. Geographic Information Systems were used to examine street length, number of food outlets and distance to the nearest playground and park/green space within an 800 m Euclidian buffer of each participant address point. Additional data on neighbourhood characteristics (e.g., traffic density, walkability, crime rates) were obtained from the State Capital of Kiel, Germany. In a multivariate model, walkability, street type, socioeconomic status of the district and perceived frequency of passing trucks/busses were associated with BMI-SDS over 4 years, but only neighbourhood SES had an effect on change in BMI-SDS. However, familial/social factors rather than neighbourhood environment (especially social environment) had an impact on children’s BMI-SDS over 4 years. Thus, social inequalities in childhood overweight are only partially explained by social neighbourhood environment.

Keywords: overweight; children; longitudinal study; neighbourhood environment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:10:y:2013:i:10:p:5083-5096:d:29541

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