title: Neighborhood perceptions affect dietary behaviors and diet quality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The primary purpose of this study was to determine if perceived neighborhood disorder affected dietary quality within a multiethnic sample of children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children were recruited through the use of fliers, wide-distribution mailers, parent magazines, and school presentations from June 2005 to December 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  Birmingham-Hoover, Alabama metropolitan area.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sample of 100 children aged 7 to 12 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dietary quality was assessed using the average of two 24-hour recalls and analyzed using the Nutrition Data System for Research.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between neighborhood disorder and dietary quality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Perceived neighborhood disorder was associated with increased iron intake (P = .03) and lower potassium levels (P = .04). Perceived neighborhood disorder was not significantly associated with increased energy intake (P = .07) and increased sodium intake (P = .08).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perceived neighborhood disorder was significantly related to differences in dietary quality. This finding indicates that subjective neighborhood characteristics may pose barriers to healthful eating behaviors for children. Future research efforts and policy should address sociostructural factors and ways to manipulate and improve food environments and individuals' perceptions of their neighborhoods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition Sciences and Clinical Nutrition Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA. Akilah@uab.edu
authors.forename: Akilah Dulin
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Keita
authors.forename: Krista
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Casazza
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Jose R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Fernandez
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D002149:Energy Intake; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D010465:Perception; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012923:Social Class