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Perceived Neighbourhood Problems over Time and Associations with Adiposity

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  • Anne Ellaway

    (MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB, UK)

  • Ruth Dundas

    (MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB, UK)

  • Jonathan R. Olsen

    (MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB, UK)

  • Paul G. Shiels

    (Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK)

Abstract

There is growing interest in understanding which aspects of the local environment influence obesity. Using data from the longitudinal West of Scotland Twenty-07 study ( n = 2040) we examined associations between residents’ self-reported neighbourhood problems, measured over a 13-year period, and nurse-measured body weight and size (body mass index, waist circumference, waist–hip ratio) and percentage body fat. We also explored whether particular measures such as abdominal obesity, postulated as a marker for stress, were more strongly related to neighbourhood conditions. Using life course models adjusted for sex, cohort, household social class, and health behaviours, we found that the accumulation of perceived neighbourhood problems was associated with percentage body fat. In cross-sectional analyses, the strongest relationships were found for contemporaneous measures of neighbourhood conditions and adiposity. When analyses were conducted separately by gender, perceived neighbourhood stressors were strongly associated with central obesity measures (waist circumference, waist–hip ratio) among both men and women. Our findings indicate that chronic neighbourhood stressors are associated with obesity. Neighbourhood environments are modifiable, and efforts should be directed towards improving deleterious local environments to reduce the prevalence of obesity.

Suggested Citation

  • Anne Ellaway & Ruth Dundas & Jonathan R. Olsen & Paul G. Shiels, 2018. "Perceived Neighbourhood Problems over Time and Associations with Adiposity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-11, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:9:p:1854-:d:166146
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Matheson, Flora I. & Moineddin, Rahim & Glazier, Richard H., 2008. "The weight of place: A multilevel analysis of gender, neighborhood material deprivation, and body mass index among Canadian adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(3), pages 675-690, February.
    2. Burdette, Amy M. & Hill, Terrence D., 2008. "An examination of processes linking perceived neighborhood disorder and obesity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(1), pages 38-46, July.
    3. Jonathan R. Olsen & Ruth Dundas & Anne Ellaway, 2017. "Are Changes in Neighbourhood Perceptions Associated with Changes in Self-Rated Mental Health in Adults? A 13-Year Repeat Cross-Sectional Study, UK," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-15, November.
    4. Macintyre, Sally & Ellaway, Anne & Cummins, Steven, 2002. "Place effects on health: how can we conceptualise, operationalise and measure them?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 55(1), pages 125-139, July.
    5. Poortinga, Wouter, 2006. "Perceptions of the environment, physical activity, and obesity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(11), pages 2835-2846, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Peter Congdon, 2019. "Obesity and Urban Environments," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-6, February.

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