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CHILDHOOD OBESITY AND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
ENVIRONMENT: THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF PARENTAL
PERCEIVED ENVIRONMENT IN AVEIRO
Lourenço, Ana1, Gama, Augusta 2, Mourão, Isabel3, Nogueira, Helena4,
Marques, Vitor5 & Padez, Cristina6
1Department
2Department
3Department
of Geography, University of Coimbra, Portugal,
Email: [email protected]
of Animal Biology, University of Lisbon, Portugal,
Email: [email protected]
of Sports, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal,
Email: [email protected]
4Department
of Geography, University of Coimbra, Portugal,
Email:[email protected]
5Centre
of Anthropology, Institute of Tropical Scientific Research & Research Centre
for Anthropology and Health, University of Coimbra, Portugal,
Email: [email protected]
6Department
of Life Sciences & Research Centre for Anthropology and Health,
University of Coimbra, Portugal, Email: [email protected]
Introduction
In the last two decades, the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents
has increased dramatically in developed and developing countries, making it a public
health crisis. Previous studies have demonstrated significant associations between
perceptions of the neighbourhood environment and obesity in children and
adolescents (Timpero et al., 2005; Mota et. al., 2006). Positive parental perceptions
of neighbourhood safety, proximity of free or low cost recreational facilities and public
transport options, as well as existence of sidewalks and facilities to bicycle can
potentially reduce the childhood obesity rates because time spent outdoors is
significantly associated with physical activity participation. In this cross-sectional
study, we investigated the associations between parental perceptions of their
neighbourhood environment and overweight/obesity among their children.
Methods
Anthropometric measures of height and weight were collected in 1117 children aged
3-9 years in kindergartens and elementary schools in Aveiro. Body mass index (BMI,
kg/m2) was calculated and the definitions of overweight and obesity were based on
cut-offs points published by Cole et al. (2000).
Additionally, parental perceptions of the residential environment were assessed
through the Environmental Module of the International Physical Activity Prevalence
Study (International Physical Activity Survey, 2002) questionnaire. Parents indicated
how much they agreed or disagreed with a series of 15 questions about traffic safety,
neighbourhood crime, sport and recreation facilities, aesthetics, streets connectivity,
Postersession
access to public transport and social environment. For data analysis the Chi Square
test and the logistic regression model were used.
Results
In total, the prevalence of obesity (including overweight) in our sample was 29,0%.
We found that girls have significantly higher values for obesity than boys (17,3% and
11,7%, respectively). Logistic regression analysis showed that children whose
parents agreed that the crime rate in their neighbourhood allows walking in safety
during the day were less likely to be obese and overweight (OR=0,63; 95% CI 0, 410,96).
Conclusion
Our results suggest that perceptions of neighbourhood safety were predictive for 3-9
year-old children’s weight status. We found that living in a neighbourhood perceived
as safe decreased the risk of overweight and obesity, suggesting that the promotion
of a high-quality social environment may be a possible way to prevent obesity in
children. Our finding is consistent with prior research on adverse neighbourhood
conditions and adiposity, highlighting the crucial role of local safety on children’s
weight status (Bacha et. al., 2010).
Bibliography
Cole, T.J.; Bellizi, M.C.; Flegal, K.M.; Dietz, W.H., 2000: Establishing a standard
definition for children overweight and obesity worldwide: international survey, British
Medical Journal, 320, pp.1240-1243.
International Physical Activity Survey, 2002: Physical activity prevalence study
environmental
survey
module.
Available
online:
htpp://wwwrohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/sallis/IPAQIPS.pfd
Timpero, A.; Salmon, J.; Telford, A.; Crawford, D., 2005: Perceptions of local
neighbourhood environments and their relationship to childhood overweight and
obesity”, International Journal of Obesity, 29, pp. 170-175.
Mota, J.; Delgado, N.; Almeida, M.; Ribeiro, J.C.; Santos, M.P., 2006: Physical
activity, overweight and perceptions of neighborhood environments among
Portuguese girls, Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 3, pp. 314-322.
Bacha, J.M.; Appugliese, D.; Coleman, S.; Kaciroti, N.; Bradley, R.H.; Crorwyn, R.F.;
Lumeng, J.C., 2010: Maternal perception of neighborhood safety as a predictor of
child weight status: The moderating effect of gender and assessment of potential
mediators, International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, 5, pp72-79.
Key Words
Childhood obesity, parental perceptions, neighbourhood environment, Portugal