title: Perceptions of neighborhood environments and childhood obesity: evidence of harmful gender inequities among Portuguese children.
abstract: This study investigates the links between parents' perceptions of their social and built residential environment and obesity among Portuguese school boys and girls. A total of 1885 children, 952 girls and 933 boys, aged 3.0-10.0 years, were observed. The children's weight and height were measured, and their parents filled out the "Environmental Module" questionnaire of the International Physical Activity Prevalence Study. Age and sex-speci`fic BMI cut-off points were used to define being overweight/obese. Environmental characteristics were combined into 2 composite neighborhood indices that were used as predictors in logistic regression models. Girls living in neighborhoods perceived as having poorly built environmental conditions had increased odds of being obese (OR=1.47; p<0.005), and girls living in neighborhoods perceived as being unsafe and dangerous had also increased odds of being obese (OR=1.339; p<0.005). These relationships were not evident for boys. Improvements in the neighborhood environment could be a strategy for tackling the growing epidemic of childhood obesity and can simultaneously contribute to reduce health inequities across population subgroups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, University of Coimbra, Largo da Porta Férrea, Coimbra 3004-530, Portugal. helenamarquesnogueira@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrão
authors.forename: Augusta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gama
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mourão
authors.forename: Vitor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rosado Marques
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Padez
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010465:Perception; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012449:Safety; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors