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The Relationships between Adolescents’ Obesity and the Built Environment: Are They City Dependent?

Author

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  • Neta HaGani

    (School of Public Health, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel)

  • Mika R. Moran

    (School of Public Health, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel)

  • Or Caspi

    (Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, Technion- Israeli Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel)

  • Pnina Plaut

    (Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, Technion- Israeli Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel)

  • Ronit Endevelt

    (School of Public Health, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel)

  • Orna Baron-Epel

    (School of Public Health, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel)

Abstract

There is evidence that the built environment can promote unhealthy habits which may increase the risk for obesity among adolescents. However, the majority of evidence is from North America, Europe and Australia, and less is known about other world regions. The purpose of this study was to examine how the number of overweight and obese adolescents may vary in relation to the built environment, area socioeconomic status (SES), physical activity (PA) and nutritional home environment. We performed a telephone survey of 904 adolescents ages 15–18 from three different cities in Israel. The questionnaire included: reported PA, sedentary behaviors and nutritional home environment. Body Mass Index (BMI) was attained from records of Maccabi Healthcare Services (MHS). The built environment measures were calculated by Geographic Information System (GIS). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify variables associated with adolescents’ overweight and obesity. The highest level of overweight and obese adolescents was in Beer Sheva (29.2%). The three cities did not differ in built environment characteristics, PA and sedentary behaviors. In Haifa, a more positive nutritional home environment was reported ( p = 0.001). Boys, in all three cities presented higher rates of overweight and obesity (29%). After adjusting for covariates, adolescents’ overweight and obesity was associated with built environment measures only in a low SES peripheral city (OR = 0.72; 95% CI: 0.56–0.92), and positively associated with higher level of sedentary behavior in the total sample (OR = 1.23; 95% CI:1.03–1.47). This may imply a much more complex causal pathway between the built environment, SES and obesity than suggested in previous literature.

Suggested Citation

  • Neta HaGani & Mika R. Moran & Or Caspi & Pnina Plaut & Ronit Endevelt & Orna Baron-Epel, 2019. "The Relationships between Adolescents’ Obesity and the Built Environment: Are They City Dependent?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-14, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:9:p:1579-:d:228576
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Maria Gose & Sandra Plachta-Danielzik & Bianca Willié & Maike Johannsen & Beate Landsberg & Manfred J. Müller, 2013. "Longitudinal Influences of Neighbourhood Built and Social Environment on Children’s Weight Status," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Hirsch, Jana A. & Grengs, Joe & Schulz, Amy & Adar, Sara D. & Rodriguez, Daniel A. & Brines, Shannon J. & Diez Roux, Ana V., 2016. "How much are built environments changing, and where?: Patterns of change by neighborhood sociodemographic characteristics across seven U.S. metropolitan areas," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 97-105.
    3. Kasper Salin & Mirja Hirvensalo & Costan G. Magnussen & Risto Telama & Nina Hutri-Kähönen & Jorma Viikari & Olli Raitakari & Tuija Tammelin, 2017. "Changes in Daily Steps and Body Mass Index and Waist to Height Ratio during Four Year Follow-Up in Adults: Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-10, September.
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    2. Yuliang Sun & Chunzhen He & Xinxin Zhang & Wenfei Zhu, 2020. "Association of Built Environment with Physical Activity and Physical Fitness in Men and Women Living inside the City Wall of Xi’an, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-13, July.
    3. Viera Kupčová & Michaela Fedelešová & Jozef Bulas & Petra Kozmonová & Ladislav Turecký, 2019. "Overview of the Pathogenesis, Genetic, and Non-Invasive Clinical, Biochemical, and Scoring Methods in the Assessment of NAFLD," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-25, September.
    4. Feyisayo A. Wayas & Joanne A. Smith & Estelle V. Lambert & Natalie Guthrie-Dixon & Yves Wasnyo & Sacha West & Tolu Oni & Louise Foley, 2023. "Association of Perceived Neighbourhood Walkability with Self-Reported Physical Activity and Body Mass Index in South African Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-16, January.

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