| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4202447 | Preventive Medicine Reports | 2015 | 7 Pages |
•A study of obese/overweight Hispanic youth using dual X-ray absorptiometry•Percent body fat (%BF) was modeled on neighborhood environment characteristics.•Food access, walkability, parks, and socio-cultural aspects were related to %BF.•The final model for %BF was used to predict BMI z-score and waist circumference.•Using DXA to measure body fat has incremental gains in built environment research.
ObjectiveThe purpose of this cross-sectional study was to establish neighborhood built environment correlates of adiposity as measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry. The utility and methodological gains of using this measure for built environment research were further investigated by comparing model fit across parallel models on body mass index z-scores and waist circumference.MethodsPre-existing data collected from 2001 to 2011 on 576 overweight and obese Hispanic youth were compiled with built environment data, and 2000 census data for analyses conducted in 2012. Walking-distance buffers were built around participants' residential locations. Variables for park space, food access, walkability, and neighborhood socio-cultural aspects were entered into a multivariate regression model predicting percent body fat. Parallel models were built for body mass index z-score, and waist circumference.ResultsSignificant associations were found between percent body fat and supermarket access for boys, and percent body fat and increased park space and decreased neighborhood linguistic isolation for girls. Neighborhood socio-cultural characteristics accounted for more variance in obesity compared to body mass index z-score or waist circumference.ConclusionPark access, food environment, and neighborhood socio-cultural characteristics are independent contributors to body fat in children, and the contribution of these risks differs by gender. There are incremental gains to using a more accurate measure of body fat in built environment obesity studies.
