The Association between Greenness and Urbanization Level with Weight Status among Adolescents: New Evidence from the HBSC 2018 Italian Survey

Valeria Bellisario, Rosanna Irene Comoretto, Paola Berchialla, Emanuele Koumantakis, Giulia Squillacioti, Alberto Borraccino, Roberto Bono, Patrizia Lemma, Lorena Charrier and Paola Dalmasso
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Valeria Bellisario: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Torino, Italy
Rosanna Irene Comoretto: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Torino, Italy
Paola Berchialla: Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, Regione Gonzole 43, 10043 Orbassano, Italy
Emanuele Koumantakis: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Torino, Italy
Giulia Squillacioti: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Torino, Italy
Alberto Borraccino: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Torino, Italy
Roberto Bono: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Torino, Italy
Patrizia Lemma: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Torino, Italy
Lorena Charrier: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Torino, Italy
Paola Dalmasso: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Torino, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 10, 1-10

Abstract: Recent studies have examined how the environment can influence obesity in young people. The research findings are conflicting: in some studies, green spaces have shown a protective association with obesity and urbanization has turned out to worsen this condition, while other studies contradicted these results. The aim of the study was to examine the relationships between greenness, urbanization, and weight status among Italian adolescents. Student data (11–13 years old) on weight and height, physical activity (PA), and demographic characteristics were extracted from the 2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey in Piedmont, Northwest of Italy. Data on Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and urbanization were obtained from satellite images and the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT). A multilevel regression model was used to assess the association between NDVI, urbanization, and obesity, controlling for PA. Students living in greener areas reported a lower likelihood of being obese [OR = 0.11, 95% CI 0.02–0.56, p = 0.007], while students living in areas with a higher level of urbanization showed a significantly increased risk of obesity [OR = 2.3, 95% CI:1.14–4.6, p = 0.02]. Living surrounded by higher amounts of greenness and lower levels of urbanization may positively influence health status through lower risk of obesity among youth.

Keywords: adolescence; health promotion; normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI); obesity; physical activity; public health; urbanization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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