Perceptions of neighborhood environments and childhood obesity: Evidence of harmful gender inequities among Portuguese children

Abstract

This study investigates the links between parents’ perceptions of their social and built residential environment and obesity among Portuguese school boys and girls. A total of 1885 children, 952 girls and 933 boys, aged 3.0–10.0 years, were observed. The children’s weight and height were measured, and their parents filled out the “Environmental Module” questionnaire of the International Physical Activity Prevalence Study. Age and sex-speci`fic BMI cut-off points were used to define being overweight/obese. Environmental characteristics were combined into 2 composite neighborhood indices that were used as predictors in logistic regression models. Girls living in neighborhoods perceived as having poorly built environmental conditions had increased odds of being obese (OR=1.47; p<0.005), and girls living in neighborhoods perceived as being unsafe and dangerous had also increased odds of being obese (OR=1.339; p<0.005). These relationships were not evident for boys. Improvements in the neighborhood environment could be a strategy for tackling the growing epidemic of childhood obesity and can simultaneously contribute to reduce health iniquities across population subgroups.