American Journal of Public Health · 2004 · 401 citations · 36 references
Public HealthPublic Health NutritionUrban HealthEpidemiologic MethodsEpidemiologyUrban EpidemiologyAdult Obesity PreventionObesity EpidemiologySocioeconomic Determinants Of ObesityUrban Health GeographyUrban SprawlBehavioral Risk SurveillanceEthnic Differences In ObesityMetropolitan ExpansionMultilevel Spatial AnalysisNeighborhood Health EffectsObesity EpidemicUrban Health ImpactsUrban Sprawl Analysis
The study examined whether urban sprawl is associated with increased risk of overweight or obesity among U.S. adults. Using a 2000 Census‑derived urban sprawl index and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data, multilevel analyses were conducted to assess the association with obesity.
Objectives. I examined the association between urban sprawl and the risk for being overweight or obese among US adults. Methods. A measure of urban sprawl in metropolitan areas was derived from the 2000 US Census; individual-level data were obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. I used multilevel analysis to assess the association between urban sprawl and obesity. Results. After I controlled for gender, age, race/ethnicity, income, and education, for each 1-point rise in the urban sprawl index (0–100 scale), the risk for being overweight increased by 0.2% and the risk for being obese increased by 0.5%. Conclusions. The current obesity epidemic has many causes, but there is an association between urban sprawl and obesity.
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Prevalence and Trends in Overweight Among US Children and Adolescents, 1999-2000
Cynthia L. Ogden · JAMA · 2002 · 4.1K citations