Dataset Information

Psychological and Biological Pathways Linking Perceived Neighborhood Characteristics and Body Mass Index.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Perceived neighborhood characteristics are linked to obesity, however, the mechanisms linking these two factors remain unknown. PURPOSE:This study aimed to examine associations between perceived neighborhood characteristics and body mass index (BMI), establish whether indirect pathways through psychological distress and inflammation are important, and determine whether these associations vary by race/ethnicity. METHODS:Participants were 1,112 adults enrolled in the Texas City Stress and Health Study. Perceived neighborhood characteristics were measured using the Perceived Neighborhood Scale. Psychological distress was measured with the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Perceived Stress Scale and mental health subscale of the Short Form Health Survey-36. Markers of inflammation included C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor receptor-1. Associations were examined with Structural Equation Modeling. RESULTS:A model linking neighborhood characteristics with BMI through direct and indirect (i.e., psychological distress and inflammation) paths demonstrated good fit with the data. Less favorable perceived neighborhood characteristics were associated with greater psychological distress (B = -0.87, ? = -0.31, p < .001) and inflammation (B = -0.02, ? = -0.10, p = .035). Psychological distress and inflammation were also significantly associated with BMI (Bdistress = 0.06, ? = 0.08, p = .006; Binflammation = 4.65, ? = 0.41, p < .001). Indirect paths from neighborhood characteristics to BMI via psychological distress (B = -0.05, ? = -0.03, p = .004) and inflammation (B = -0.08, ? = -0.04, p = .045) were significant. In multiple group analysis, a model with parameters constrained equal across race/ethnicity showed adequate fit suggesting associations were comparable across groups. CONCLUSION:Our study extends the literature by demonstrating the importance of neighborhood perceptions as correlates of BMI across race/ethnicity, and highlights the role of psychological and physiological pathways.

SUBMITTER: Chirinos DA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7317154 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Psychological and Biological Pathways Linking Perceived Neighborhood Characteristics and Body Mass Index.

Chirinos Diana A DA Garcini Luz M LM Seiler Annina A Murdock Kyle W KW Peek Kristen K Stowe Raymond P RP Fagundes Christopher C

Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine 20190801 9

<h4>Background</h4>Perceived neighborhood characteristics are linked to obesity, however, the mechanisms linking these two factors remain unknown.<h4>Purpose</h4>This study aimed to examine associations between perceived neighborhood characteristics and body mass index (BMI), establish whether indirect pathways through psychological distress and inflammation are important, and determine whether these associations vary by race/ethnicity.<h4>Methods</h4>Participants were 1,112 adults enrolled in t ...[more]

PMID: 30561495

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Project description:In public health research, it has been well established that geographic location plays an important role in influencing health outcomes. In recent years, there has been an increased emphasis on the impact of neighborhood or contextual factors as potential risk factors for childhood obesity. Some neighborhood factors relevant to childhood obesity include access to food sources, access to recreational facilities, neighborhood safety, and socioeconomic status (SES) variables. It is common for neighborhood or area-level variables to be available at multiple spatial scales (SS) or geographic units, such as the census block group and census tract, and selection of the spatial scale for area-level variables can be considered as a model selection problem. In this paper, we model the variation in body mass index (BMI) in a study of pediatric patients of the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Medical Center, while considering the selection of spatial scale for a set of neighborhood-level variables available at multiple spatial scales using four recently proposed spatial scale selection algorithms: SS forward stepwise regression, SS incremental forward stagewise regression, SS least angle regression (LARS), and SS lasso. For pediatric BMI, we found evidence of significant positive associations with visit age and black race at the individual level, percent Hispanic white at the census block group level, percent Hispanic black at the census tract level, and percent vacant housing at the census tract level. We also found significant negative associations with population density at the census tract level, median household income at the census tract level, percent renter at the census tract level, and exercise equipment expenditures at the census block group level. The SS algorithms selected covariates at different spatial scales, producing better goodness-of-fit in comparison to traditional models, where all area-level covariates were modeled at the same scale. These findings underscore the importance of considering spatial scale when performing model selection.

Project description:AimThe increasing body mass index (BMI) often followed by overweight and obesity is a global health problem of the 21st century. Children and adolescents with lower socioeconomic status are more affected than their counterparts. The mechanisms behind these differences must be well understood to develop effective prevention strategies. This analysis aims at examining the association of parental education as an indicator of the socioeconomic status on children's and adolescent's body mass index and the role of behavioral and psychological risk factors for a higher BMI longitudinally.MethodsThe analysis was based on a nationwide sample of N = 460 children and adolescents, aged 11 to 17 at baseline (2009-2012), who took part in the representative BELLA study, the mental health module of the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey among Children and Adolescents (KiGGS). A follow-up was conducted 5 years later. Using mediation analyses, the mediating effects of breakfast consumption, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, screen time, physical activity, mental health problems (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), and health-related quality of life (KIDSCREEN-10) on the association of parent's years of education on their children's BMI were investigated.ResultsA lower level of parental education was significantly associated with a higher BMI in children and adolescents 5 years later. The association was partially mediated by breakfast consumption and total screen time, with breakfast consumption mediating 16.7% and total screen time 27.8% of the association. After controlling for age, gender, and migration status, only breakfast consumption remained a partial mediator (8.5%). Other included variables had no mediating effects.ConclusionsPreventive measures should be mainly targeted at children and adolescents of parents with lower educational levels. Tailored strategies to prevent the development of overweight and obesity in this population among children and adolescents should promote daily breakfast consumption at home and reducing screen time.

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Psychological and Biological Pathways Linking Perceived Neighborhood Characteristics and Body Mass Index.

Publications

Psychological and Biological Pathways Linking Perceived Neighborhood Characteristics and Body Mass Index.

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