Neighborhood built environment and income: Examining multiple health outcomes

Abstract

There is growing interest in the relation of built environments to physical activity, obesity, and other health outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to test associations of neighborhood built environment and median income to multiple health outcomes and examine whether associations are similar for low- and high-income groups. This was a cross-sectional study of 32 neighborhoods in Seattle, WA and Baltimore, MD regions, stratified by income and walkability, and conducted between 2001–2005. Participants were adults aged 20–65 years (n=2199; 26% ethnic minority). The main outcomes were daily minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) from accelerometer monitoring, body mass index (BMI) based on self-report, and mental and physical quality of life (QoL) assessed with the SF-12. We found that MVPA was higher in high- versus low-walkability neighborhoods but did not differ by neighborhood income. Overweight/obesity (BMI≥25) was lower in high-walkability neighborhoods. Physical QoL was higher in high-income neighborhoods but unrelated to walkability. Adjustment for neighborhood self-selection produced minor changes. We concluded that living in walkable neighborhoods was associated with more physical activity and lower overweight/obesity but not with other benefits. Lower- and higher-income groups benefited similarly from living in high-walkability neighborhoods. Adults in higher-income neighborhoods had lower BMI and higher physical QoL.

Neighborhood-health links: Differences between rural-to-urban migrants and natives in Shanghai

“…Migrants' subjective health outcomes are more sensitive to neighborhood social environments, whereas urban natives benefit more from neighborhood physical environments. We also find significant associations between perceived neighborhood environments and health Berkman 2000, 2003;Mair, Diez Roux, and Galea 2008;Sallis et al 2009;Van Dyck et al 2012;Wen, Hawkley, and Cacioppo 2006) and extend the neighborhood effect on health literature to urban migrants and native residents in China. Using a case from Shanghai, China, we identify differences in the perceived neighborhood context-health link between local urban natives and migrant workers.…”

Do Relationships Between Environmental Attributes and Recreational Walking Vary According to Area-Level Socioeconomic Status?

“…Recent studies show that neighborhood walkability, an environmental measure of "ease" of walking in local areas, is associated with walking for recreation equally in low and high SES areas. [7][8][9] Such evidence supports the potential of environmental initiatives to increase recreational physical activity both in advantaged and disadvantaged neighborhoods. However, studies to date have focused on walkability, a composite measure of objectively derived environmental factors that are hypothesized to be related to walking, in examining how associations of neighborhood environments with physical activity may vary between low and high SES areas.…”

Urban–Rural Differences in Physical Activity in Belgian Adults and the Importance of Psychosocial Factors

“…In that context, the "walkability" of environments and its relationship with PA has been the focus of many studies. [6][7][8][9][10] High walkable environments are characterized by high land use mix, high residential density, and a well-connected street network. 11,12 Traditionally, urban neighborhoods are built in compact pedestrian-orientated forms where high walkability can encourage PA and mainly active transportation.…”