title: Neighborhood environments and obesity among Afro-Caribbean, African American, and Non-Hispanic white adults in the United States: results from the National Survey of American Life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine possible associations between perceived neighborhood environments and obesity among a U.S. nationally representative sample of Afro-Caribbean, African American, and Non-Hispanic white adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was used from the 2001-2003 National Survey of American Life (NSAL). All measures including neighborhood characteristics, height, and weight were self-reported. Multivariate logistic regression was used to compute odds ratios (ORs) of obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m(2)) based on perceived neighborhood physical and social characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The odds of obesity were significantly lower for adults who reported involvement in clubs, associations, or help groups (odds ratio (OR): 0.62; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.44, 0.85) and perceived that they had a park, playground, or open space in their neighborhood (odds ratio (OR): 0.68; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.47, 0.98). These associations remained significant after adjusting for leisure-time physical activity. Race/ethnicity appeared to modify the association between involvement in clubs, associations, or help groups and obesity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Providing parks, playgrounds, or open space or increasing the perception of those amenities may assist in the prevention of obesity, especially in ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the United States. More research is needed to investigate how perceptions of the neighborhood environment influence obesity and whether perceptions of the neighborhood environment differ between individuals within the same neighborhoods.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Program, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health, 2020 Gravier St., 3rd Floor, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. Electronic address: ssull1@lsuhsc.edu.
authors.forename: Samaah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Program, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health, 2020 Gravier St., 3rd Floor, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors.forename: Meghan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Brashear
authors.affiliation: Preventive Medicine & Healthy Aging, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, 6400 Perkins Rd., Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Broyles
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Program, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health, 2020 Gravier St., 3rd Floor, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors.forename: Ariane L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015992:Body Mass Index; D017691:Caribbean Region / Q000208:ethnology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004779:Environment Design; D015340:Epidemiologic Research Design; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012931:Social Environment; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Body mass index; Built environment; Diet; Ecological; Neighborhood; Obesity; Physical activity