Neighborhood Environment Measurements and Anthropometric Indicators of Obesity: Results From the Women and Their Children’s Health (WaTCH) Study

Samaah M. Sullivan, Edward S. Peters, Edward J. Trapido, Evrim Oral, Richard A. Scribner, Ariane L. Rung

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

We compared geographic information system (GIS)- and Census-based approaches for measuring the physical and social neighborhood environment at the census tract-level versus an audit approach on associations with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Data were used from the 2012-2014 Women and Their Children’s Health (WaTCH) Study (n = 940). Generalized linear models were used to obtain odds ratios (ORs) for BMI (≥30 kg/m2), WC (>88 cm), and WHR (>0.85). Using an audit approach, more adverse neighborhood characteristics were associated with a higher odds of WC (OR: 1.10; 95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.05, 1.15]) and WHR (OR: 1.09; 95% CI: [1.05, 1.14]) after adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, income, and oil spill exposure. There were no significant associations between GIS- and Census-based measures with obesity in adjusted models. Quality aspects of the neighborhood environment captured by audits at the individual-level may be more relevant to obesity than physical or social aspects at the census tract-level.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1032-1055
Number of pages24
JournalEnvironment and Behavior
Volume50
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1 2018
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • behavior change
  • GIS (geographic information system)
  • mixed methods
  • neighborhood/community
  • public health

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Environmental Science

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