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This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2008.138230v1 99/2/279    most recent Submit a response View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lovasi, G. S. Articles by Rundle, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lovasi, G. S. Articles by Rundle, A. Related Collections Epidemiology Obesity, Overweight, Underweight Geography African Americans/Blacks Hispanics/Latinos

Gina S. Lovasi, PhD, MPH, Kathryn M. Neckerman, PhD, James W. Quinn, MA, Christopher C. Weiss, PhD and Andrew Rundle, DrPH

Gina S. Lovasi, Kathryn M. Neckerman, James W. Quinn, and Christopher C. Weiss are with the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy, Columbia University, New York, NY. Andrew Rundle is with the Mailman School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology at Columbia University, New York, NY.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Gina S. Lovasi, 820 IAB, MC 3355, 420 W 118th St, New York, NY 10027 (e-mail: gl2225{at}columbia.edu).

Objectives. We sought to test whether the association between walkable environments and lower body mass index (BMI) was stronger within disadvantaged groups that may be particularly sensitive to environmental constraints.

Methods. We measured height and weight in a diverse sample of 13 102 adults living throughout New York City from 2000–2002. Each participant's home address was geocoded and surrounded by a circular buffer with a 1-km radius. The composition and built environment characteristics of these areas were used to predict BMI through the use of generalized estimating equations. Indicators of individual or area disadvantage included low educational attainment, low household income, Black race, and Hispanic ethnicity.

Results. Higher population density, more mixed land use, and greater transit access were most consistently associated with a lower BMI among those with more education or higher incomes and among non-Hispanic Whites. Significant interactions were observed for education, income, race, and ethnicity.

Conclusions. Contrary to expectations, built environment characteristics were less consistently associated with BMI among disadvantaged groups. This pattern may be explained by other barriers to maintaining a healthy weight encountered by disadvantaged groups.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. S. Lovasi, M. A. Hutson, M. Guerra, and K. M. Neckerman Built Environments and Obesity in Disadvantaged Populations Epidemiol. Rev., November 1, 2009; 31(1): 7 - 20. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]