Obesity-related behaviours and BMI in five urban regions across Europe: sampling design and results from the SPOTLIGHT cross-sectional survey.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the design, methods and first results of a survey on obesity-related behaviours and body mass index (BMI) in adults living in neighbourhoods from five urban regions across Europe.


METHODS
A cross-sectional observational study in the framework of an European Union-funded project on obesogenic environments (SPOTLIGHT).


METHODS
60 urban neighbourhoods (12 per country) were randomly selected in large urban zones in Belgium, France, Hungary, the Netherlands and the UK, based on high or low values for median household income (socioeconomic status, SES) and residential area density.


METHODS
A total of 6037 adults (mean age 52 years, 56% female) participated in the online survey.


METHODS
Self-reported physical activity, sedentary behaviours, dietary habits and BMI. Other measures included general health; barriers and motivations for a healthy lifestyle, perceived social and physical environmental characteristics; the availability of transport modes and their use to specific destinations; self-defined neighbourhood boundaries and items related to residential selection.


RESULTS
Across five countries, residents from low-SES neighbourhoods ate less fruit and vegetables, drank more sugary drinks and had a consistently higher BMI. SES differences in sedentary behaviours were observed in France, with residents from higher SES neighbourhoods reporting to sit more. Residents from low-density neighbourhoods were less physically active than those from high-density neighbourhoods; during leisure time and (most pronounced) for transport (except for Belgium). BMI differences by residential density were inconsistent across all countries.


CONCLUSIONS
The SPOTLIGHT survey provides an original approach for investigating relations between environmental characteristics, obesity-related behaviours and obesity in Europe. First descriptive results indicate considerable differences in health behaviours and BMI between countries and neighbourhood types.
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Jeroen
J
Lakerveld
Equipe de Recherche en Epidémiologie Nutritionnelle (EREN), Université Paris 13, Centre de Recherche en Epidémiologie et Statistiques, Inserm (U1153), Inra (U1125), Cnam, COMUE Sorbonne Paris Cité, Bobigny, France.
Maher
M
Ben Rebah
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Joreintje D
JD
Mackenbach
Equipe de Recherche en Epidémiologie Nutritionnelle (EREN), Université Paris 13, Centre de Recherche en Epidémiologie et Statistiques, Inserm (U1153), Inra (U1125), Cnam, COMUE Sorbonne Paris Cité, Bobigny, France Paris Est University, Lab-Urba, UPEC, Urban Institut of Paris, Créteil, France.
Hélène
H
Charreire
Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Sofie
S
Compernolle
ECOHOST-The Centre for Health and Social Change, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Ketevan
K
Glonti
Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
Helga
H
Bardos
ECOHOST-The Centre for Health and Social Change, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Harry
H
Rutter
Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Ilse
I
De Bourdeaudhuij
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Johannes
J
Brug
Equipe de Recherche en Epidémiologie Nutritionnelle (EREN), Université Paris 13, Centre de Recherche en Epidémiologie et Statistiques, Inserm (U1153), Inra (U1125), Cnam, COMUE Sorbonne Paris Cité, Bobigny, France Department of Nutrition Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital (AP-HP), Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, Centre for Research on Human Nutrition Ile-de-France (CRNH IdF), Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Paris, France.
Jean-Michel
JM
Oppert
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002947:Cities; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
EPIDEMIOLOGY; PREVENTIVE MEDICINE; PUBLIC HEALTH