Examining Neighborhood Environment and Central Obesity in the YES Health Study

Abstract

We examined the relationship between neighborhood environment (e.g., objective neighborhood socioeconomic status [SES] and subjective neighborhood perceptions) and waist‐hip ratio (WHR) or central obesity using logistic regression and content analysis of respondents’ narratives on housing unfair treatment in the YES Health pilot study. Multivariate results showed significant relationships between low SES White, low SES Black, and middle SES Black versus middle SES White neighborhoods and total‐sample and women's obesity, in almost all neighborhood perception models. Significant relationships included: disliking neighborhood and total‐sample obesity; neighborhood informal monitoring/surveillance and total‐sample and women's obesity; social participation and total‐sample and women's obesity; and perceptions of families and total‐sample and women's obesity. Qualitative results partially corroborate our quantitative results that low SES neighborhood adults were more likely to experience neighborhood disorders and safety issues. Our findings highlight examining objective and subjective neighborhood environments related to central obesity, suggesting specific health targets for neighborhood intervention programs.