Built Environment and Childhood Weight Status: A Multi-Level Study Using Population-Based Data in the City of Hannover, Germany

Yusheng Zhou, Christoph Buck, Werner Maier, Thomas von Lengerke, Ulla Walter and Maren Dreier
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Yusheng Zhou: Institute of Epidemiology, Social Medicine and Health Systems Research, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Christoph Buck: Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology - BIPS, 28359 Bremen, Germany
Werner Maier: Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management, Helmholtz Zentrum München—German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
Thomas von Lengerke: Department of Medical Psychology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Ulla Walter: Institute of Epidemiology, Social Medicine and Health Systems Research, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Maren Dreier: Institute of Epidemiology, Social Medicine and Health Systems Research, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 8, 1-15

Abstract: In recent years, built environmental characteristics have been linked to childhood overweight, but the results remain inconsistent across studies. The present study examines associations between several built environmental features and body weight status (BMI) z-score among a large sample of preschool children in the city of Hannover, Germany. Walkability (Index), green space availability, and playground availability related to preschool children’s home environments were measured using data from OpenStreetMap (OSM). These built environment characteristics were linked to the data from the 2010–2014 school entry examinations in the Hannover city ( n = 22,678), and analysed using multilevel linear regression models to examine associations between the built environment features and the BMI z-score of these children (4–8 years old). No significant associations of built environmental factors on children’s BMI were detected, but the effect between green space availability and BMI was modified by the parental educational level. In children with lower compared to higher educated parents, a higher spatial availability of greenspace was significantly associated with reduced body weight. Future research should continue to monitor the disparities in diverse built environment features and how these are related to children’s health.

Keywords: obesity; overweight; childhood; built environment; walkability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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