Food Shopping Venues, Neighborhood Food Environment, and Body Mass Index Among Guyanese, Black, and White Adults in an Urban Community in the US

Objective: To investigate the association between the neighborhood food environment and body mass index (BMI) among Chinese older adults. Methods: A multi-stage stratified random sampling method was used to recruit participants from 12 communities in Beijing, China, in 2019. Participants (n = 1764, 1034 women) in this study were older adults aged 65 to 80. We collected the participants’ basic information, measured their height and weight, and calculated their BMI. Neighborhood food environments were measured by the density of and proximity to different food outlets using the Baidu Map Application Programming Interface. Adjusted multiple linear regression was performed to estimate the association between the food environment and BMI. Results: Participants had a mean age of 69.7 ± 4.32 years old and an average BMI of 26.3 ± 3.50 kg/m2. Among the three types of stores, convenience stores had the easiest access, followed by greengrocers and supermarkets. Sit-down restaurants had the best access among different restaurants, followed by Chinese fast-food restaurants, and western fast-food restaurants had the worst access. Easier access to greengrocers (β = 0.281, p < 0.001) and sit-down restaurants (β = 0.304, p < 0.001) was associated with higher BMI in the 250 m buffer zone. More supermarkets were associated with higher BMI in the 500 m buffer zone (β = 0.593, p < 0.001). Access to convenience stores was positively associated with BMI in the 800 m buffer zone (β = 0.057, p < 0.001). Better access to Chinese fast-food restaurants was associated with higher BMI (β = 0.071, p = 0.001), and better access to western fast- food restaurants was associated with lower BMI (β = −0.400, p < 0.001) in the 1000 m buffer zone. There was a negative association between the nearest distance to greengrocers and BMI (β = −0.004, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Although we found some significant associations between the neighborhood food environment and obesity, the current results are not strong enough to draw specific conclusions. Policymakers will need to rely on more evidence to derive concrete policy recommendations.

Download Full-text

Associations between Body Mass Index, Shopping Behaviors, Amenity Density, and Characteristics of the Neighborhood Food Environment among Female Adult Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Participants in Eastern North Carolina

Ecology of Food and Nutrition ◽

10.1080/03670244.2012.705749 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 51 (6) ◽

pp. 526-541 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Stephanie B. Jilcott Pitts ◽

Jared T. McGuirt ◽

Lucas J. Carr ◽

Qiang Wu ◽

Thomas C. Keyserling

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

North Carolina ◽

Body Mass ◽

Food Environment ◽

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽

Female Adult ◽

Assistance Program ◽

Neighborhood Food Environment ◽

Nutrition Assistance ◽

Eastern North Carolina

Download Full-text

BLACK AND WHITE BODY MASS INDEX VALUES IN NINETEENTH CENTURY DEVELOPING PHILADELPHIA COUNTY

Journal of Biosocial Science ◽

10.1017/s002193201100054x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 44 (3) ◽

pp. 273-288 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

SCOTT ALAN CARSON ◽

PAUL E. HODGES

Keyword(s):

Nineteenth Century ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

19Th Century ◽

Body Mass ◽

Black And White ◽

The Us

SummaryThis paper demonstrates that although modern BMIs in the US have increased, 19th century BMIs in Philadelphia were lower than elsewhere within Pennsylvania, indicating that urbanization and agricultural commercialization were associated with lower BMIs. After controlling for stature, blacks consistently had greater BMI values than mulattos and whites; therefore, there is no evidence of a 19th century mulatto BMI advantage in the industrializing North. Farmers' BMIs were consistently heavier than those of non-farmers.

Download Full-text

Multiple pathways from the neighborhood food environment to increased body mass index through dietary behaviors: A structural equation-based analysis in the CARDIA study

Health & Place ◽

10.1016/j.healthplace.2015.09.003 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 36 ◽

pp. 74-87 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Andrea S. Richardson ◽

Katie A. Meyer ◽

Annie Green Howard ◽

Janne Boone-Heinonen ◽

Barry M. Popkin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Body Mass ◽

Food Environment ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Dietary Behaviors ◽

Neighborhood Food Environment

Download Full-text

Longitudinal Associations Between Observed and Perceived Neighborhood Food Availability and Body Mass Index in a Multiethnic Urban Sample

Health Education & Behavior ◽

10.1177/1090198116644150 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 44 (1) ◽

pp. 41-51 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Shannon N. Zenk ◽

Graciela Mentz ◽

Amy J. Schulz ◽

Vicki Johnson-Lawrence ◽

Causandra R. Gaines

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Body Mass ◽

Food Availability ◽

Food Environment ◽

Grocery Store ◽

Convenience Store ◽

Fruit And Vegetable ◽

Neighborhood Food Environment ◽

Unit Increase

Introduction. Blacks, Hispanics, and women of lower socioeconomic status tend to have a higher risk of obesity. Numerous studies over the past decade examined the role of the neighborhood food environment in body weight. However, few were longitudinal. Purpose. This longitudinal study examined whether multiple measures of neighborhood food availability were associated with body mass index (BMI) in a predominately Black and Hispanic adult sample living in low- to moderate-income urban neighborhoods. Method. This longitudinal study used two waves of data (2002, 2008), including interviewer-measured height and weight, from a community survey of adults ( n = 219). In both 2002 and 2008, multiple measures characterized neighborhood food availability: GIS-derived availability of retail food outlets (large grocery store, small grocery store, convenience store, liquor stores), observed fruit and vegetable availability (count of stores selling 10 or more fresh fruit or vegetable varieties), and perceived fruit and vegetable access. Random intercept models estimated multivariable associations, controlling for individual-level demographics and neighborhood median household income. Results. Small grocery store availability was associated with 1.22-unit increase in BMI ( p = .047), while each unit increase in perceived fruit and vegetable access was associated with a 0.69-unit decrease in BMI ( p = .055). BMI was not associated with large grocery store, convenience store, or liquor store availability, or with observed fruit and vegetable availability. Conclusions. Findings suggest that improving the neighborhood food environment, particularly at small grocery stores, may help urban residents living in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods achieve healthier body weights over time.

Download Full-text