Density Of Food Outlets Research Articles

Neighbourhood typology based on virtual audit of environmental obesogenic characteristics.

Virtual audit (using tools such as Google Street View) can help assess multiple characteristics of the physical environment. This exposure assessment can then be associated with health outcomes such as obesity. Strengths of virtual audit include collection of large amount of data, from various geographical contexts, following standard protocols. Using data from a virtual audit of obesity-related features carried out in five urban European regions, the current study aimed to (i) describe this international virtual audit dataset and (ii) identify neighbourhood patterns that can synthesize the complexity of such data and compare patterns across regions. Data were obtained from 4,486 street segments across urban regions in Belgium, France, Hungary, the Netherlands and the UK. We used multiple factor analysis and hierarchical clustering on principal components to build a typology of neighbourhoods and to identify similar/dissimilar neighbourhoods, regardless of region. Four neighbourhood clusters emerged, which differed in terms of food environment, recreational facilities and active mobility features, i.e. the three indicators derived from factor analysis. Clusters were unequally distributed across urban regions. Neighbourhoods mostly characterized by a high level of outdoor recreational facilities were predominantly located in Greater London, whereas neighbourhoods characterized by high urban density and large amounts of food outlets were mostly located in Paris. Neighbourhoods in the Randstad conurbation, Ghent and Budapest appeared to be very similar, characterized by relatively lower residential densities, greener areas and a very low percentage of streets offering food and recreational facility items. These results provide multidimensional constructs of obesogenic characteristics that may help target at-risk neighbourhoods more effectively than isolated features.

Mismatch between perceived and objectively measured environmental obesogenic features in European neighbourhoods.

Findings from research on the association between the built environment and obesity remain equivocal but may be partly explained by differences in approaches used to characterize the built environment. Findings obtained using subjective measures may differ substantially from those measured objectively. We investigated the agreement between perceived and objectively measured obesogenic environmental features to assess (1) the extent of agreement between individual perceptions and observable characteristics of the environment and (2) the agreement between aggregated perceptions and observable characteristics, and whether this varied by type of characteristic, region or neighbourhood. Cross-sectional data from the SPOTLIGHT project (n = 6037 participants from 60 neighbourhoods in five European urban regions) were used. Residents' perceptions were self-reported, and objectively measured environmental features were obtained by a virtual audit using Google Street View. Percent agreement and Kappa statistics were calculated. The mismatch was quantified at neighbourhood level by a distance metric derived from a factor map. The extent to which the mismatch metric varied by region and neighbourhood was examined using linear regression models. Overall, agreement was moderate (agreement < 82%, kappa < 0.3) and varied by obesogenic environmental feature, region and neighbourhood. Highest agreement was found for food outlets and outdoor recreational facilities, and lowest agreement was obtained for aesthetics. In general, a better match was observed in high-residential density neighbourhoods characterized by a high density of food outlets and recreational facilities. Future studies should combine perceived and objectively measured built environment qualities to better understand the potential impact of the built environment on health, particularly in low residential density neighbourhoods.

An ecological analysis of food outlet density and prevalence of type II diabetes in South Carolina counties.

BackgroundStudies suggest that the built environment with high numbers of fast food restaurants and convenience stores and low numbers of super stores and grocery stores are related to obesity, type II diabetes mellitus, and other chronic diseases. Since few studies assess these relationships at the county level, we aim to examine fast food restaurant density, convenience store density, super store density, and grocery store density and prevalence of type II diabetes among counties in South Carolina.MethodsPearson’s correlation between four types of food outlet densities- fast food restaurants, convenience stores, super stores, and grocery stores- and prevalence of type II diabetes were computed. The relationship between each of these food outlet densities were mapped with prevalence of type II diabetes, and OLS regression analysis was completed adjusting for county-level rates of obesity, physical inactivity, density of recreation facilities, unemployment, households with no car and limited access to stores, education, and race.ResultsWe showed a significant, negative relationship between fast food restaurant density and prevalence of type II diabetes, and a significant, positive relationship between convenience store density and prevalence of type II diabetes. In adjusted analysis, the food outlet densities (of any type) was not associated with prevalence of type II diabetes.ConclusionsThis ecological analysis showed no associations between fast food restaurants, convenience stores, super stores, or grocery stores densities and the prevalence of type II diabetes. Consideration of environmental, social, and cultural determinants, as well as individual behaviors is needed in future research.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-015-2681-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Food environment and fruit and vegetable intake in a urban population: a multilevel analysis.

BackgroundEnvironmental, social and individual factors influence eating patterns, which in turn affect the risk of many chronic diseases. This study aimed to estimate associations between environmental factors and the consumption of fruit and vegetables among adults in a Brazilian urban context.MethodsData from the surveillance system for risk factors for chronic diseases (VIGITEL) of Brazilian Ministry of Health were used. A cross-sectional telephone survey (VIGITEL – 2008–2010) was carried out with 5826 adults in the urban area of Belo Horizonte. Individual variables were collected. The frequency of fruit and vegetables consumption was assessed from number of servings, weekly frequency and an intake score was calculated. Georeferenced variables were used to characterize the food environment. The density of healthy food outlets (stores specialized in selling fruit and vegetables), unhealthy food outlets (bars, snack bars and food trucks/trailers) and the neighborhood family income were investigated and associated with fruit and vegetables intake score. Weighted multilevel linear regression was used to evaluate the associations between the environment variables and the fruit and vegetables intake score.ResultsHigher fruit and vegetables intake scores were observed in neighborhoods with higher density of healthy food outlets and higher income. Lower scores were observed in neighborhood with higher density of unhealthy food outlets. These associations were adjusted by individual variables such as gender, age, physical activity, sugar sweetened beverages consumption, education level and smoking.DiscussionThe food environment might explain some of the socioeconomic disparities with respect to healthy food intake and health outcomes. Healthy food stores are less common in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods, and therefore, healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables are less available or are of a lower quality in lower income areas.ConclusionFood environment characteristics and neighborhood socioeconomic level had significant associations with fruit and vegetable intake score. These are initial findings that require further investigation within the middle income world populations and the role of the environment with respect to both healthy and unhealthy food acquisition and intake.

Associations between Food Outlets around Schools and BMI among Primary Students in England: A Cross-Classified Multi-Level Analysis.

IntroductionResearchers and policy-makers are interested in the influence that food retailing around schools may have on child obesity risk. Most previous research comes from North America, uses data aggregated at the school-level and focuses on associations between fast food outlets and school obesity rates. This study examines associations between food retailing and BMI among a large sample of primary school students in Berkshire, England. By controlling for individual, school and home characteristics and stratifying results across the primary school years, we aimed to identify if the food environment around schools had an effect on BMI, independent of socio-economic variables.MethodsWe measured the densities of fast food outlets and food stores found within schoolchildren’s home and school environments using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and data from local councils. We linked these data to measures from the 2010/11 National Child Measurement Programme and used a cross-classified multi-level approach to examine associations between food retailing and BMI z-scores. Analyses were stratified among Reception (aged 4-5) and Year 6 (aged 10-11) students to measure associations across the primary school years.ResultsOur multilevel model had three levels to account for individual (n = 16,956), home neighbourhood (n = 664) and school (n = 268) factors. After controlling for confounders, there were no significant associations between retailing near schools and student BMI, but significant positive associations between fast food outlets in home neighbourhood and BMI z-scores. Year 6 students living in areas with the highest density of fast food outlets had an average BMI z-score that was 0.12 (95% CI: 0.04, 0.20) higher than those living in areas with none.DiscussionWe found little evidence to suggest that food retailing around schools influences student BMI. There is some evidence to suggest that fast food outlet densities in a child’s home neighbourhood may have an effect on BMI, particularly among girls, but more research is needed to inform effective policies targeting the effects of the retail environment on child obesity.

Area deprivation and the food environment over time: A repeated cross-sectional study on takeaway outlet density and supermarket presence in Norfolk, UK, 1990-2008.

Socioeconomic disparities in the food environment are known to exist but with little understanding of change over time. This study investigated the density of takeaway food outlets and presence of supermarkets in Norfolk, UK between 1990 and 2008. Data on food retail outlet locations were collected from telephone directories and aggregated within electoral wards. Supermarket presence was not associated with area deprivation over time. Takeaway food outlet density increased overall, and was significantly higher in more deprived areas at all time points; furthermore, socioeconomic disparities in takeaway food outlet density increased across the study period. These findings add to existing evidence and help assess the need for environmental interventions to reduce disparities in the prevalence of unhealthy food outlets.

Area Deprivation and the Food Environment Over Time: A Repeated Cross‐Sectional Study on Fast Food Outlet Density and Supermarket Presence in Norfolk, UK, 1990‐2008

Little is known about socioeconomic disparities in UK food environments, including how these may have changed over time, limiting our understanding of current diet and health inequalities. We examined fast food outlet density and supermarket presence by area-level deprivation in the county of Norfolk, UK, 1990-2008. Data on food outlet locations, collected from Yellow Pages telephone directories at six time points from 1990 to 2008, were geocoded and mapped onto 2001 electoral ward boundaries. Wards were assigned to deprivation tertiles using the 2001 Townsend Index. Differences in fast food outlet density by deprivation and over time were compared using a one-way repeated measures analysis of variance. Supermarket presence by deprivation over time was examined with a multiple logistic regression model. All models adjusted for ward population. The odds of supermarket presence were not associated with area deprivation over time (tertile 2 vs 1, p=0.82; tertile 3 vs 1, p=0.58). Mean fast food outlet density increased significantly in all deprivation tertiles (p<0.001). However, fast food outlet density was consistently higher in the most deprived areas (p<0.001) and there was a significant interaction between deprivation and time (p=0.095). Results indicate that the most deprived wards faced the highest density of fast food outlets and were subject to the greatest increase in the number of these outlets over time. These increasing socioeconomic disparities in fast food access may be contributing to social inequalities in diet and health in the UK. Supported by UK Clinical Research Collaboration grant MR/K023187/1

Influences of the neighbourhood food environment on adiposity of low-income preschool-aged children in Los Angeles County: a longitudinal study

BackgroundFew studies have examined the association between the food environment and adiposity in early childhood, a critical time for obesity prevention. The objective of this study was to examine the...

Understanding the relationship between food environments, deprivation and childhood overweight and obesity: Evidence from a cross sectional England-wide study

Using a large cross sectional English sample, we quantified the association between weight status in children aged 4–5 and 10–11 year, characteristics of the food environment, and area deprivation. We observed a positive association between the density of unhealthy food outlets in a neighbourhood and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children. An association in the opposite direction was observed for other types of food outlets, although after adjustment this was only statistically significant for older children. The prevalence of fast food and other unhealthy food outlets explained only a small proportion of the observed associations between weight status and socioeconomic deprivation. Children׳s weight status may be influenced by their local environment, particularly older children, but associations between obesity and deprivation do not appear strongly due to local food environment characteristics.

Monitoring the availability of healthy and unhealthy foods and non-alcoholic beverages in community and consumer retail food environments globally

E-mail: c.nimhurchu@nihi.auckland.ac.nz Summary Retail food environments are increasingly considered influential in determining dietary behaviours and health outcomes. We reviewed the available evidence on associations between community (type, availability and accessibility of food outlets) and consumer (product availability, prices, promotions and nutritional quality within stores) food environments and dietary outcomes in order to develop an evidence-based framework for monitoring the availability of healthy and unhealthy foods and non-alcoholic beverages in retail food environments. Current evidence is suggestive of an association between community and consumer food environments and dietary outcomes; however, substantial heterogeneity in study designs, methods and measurement tools makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions. The use of standardized tools to monitor local food environments within and across countries may help to validate this relationship. We propose a stepwise framework to monitor and benchmark community and consumer retail food environments that can be used to assess density of healthy and unhealthy food outlets; measure proximity of healthy and unhealthy food outlets to homes/ schools; evaluate availability of healthy and unhealthy foods in-store; compare food environments over time and between regions and countries; evaluate compliance with local policies, guidelines or voluntary codes of practice; and determine the impact of changes to retail food environments on health outcomes, such as obesity.

Influence of the retail food environment around schools on obesity-related outcomes: a systematic review

BackgroundSoaring childhood obesity rates have led to questions about the influence of obesogenic environments on children's health. Public health interventions that target the retail food environment around schools have been proposed, but whether these interventions are evidence based is unclear. MethodsWe examined associations between the retail food environment near schools and food purchasing, consumption, and bodyweight of students. We catalogued and critiqued the methods and results of studies analysing these associations and sought to assess the quality of evidence within the publications. We undertook a keyword search of several databases and sources of grey literature, including Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Public Health Group specialised register. Inclusion criteria required studies to be published in a peer-reviewed journal between January, 1981, and October, 2012, provide at least one measurement of food retailing surrounding schools, and include outcome data for school children aged 5–18 years. Two researchers independently reviewed papers and blindly assessed the quality of the study using a modified checklist that covered study design and reporting. Methodological heterogeneity precluded meta-analysis, so we used a semiquantitative method in which we categorised papers according to their outcomes and identified whether or not the outcome was significantly (p<0·05) associated with the density or proximity of food outlets near schools. Findings21 studies met our inclusion criteria. All followed a cross-sectional study design. 19 described the food environment with geographical-system-information-based measures (eg, the density or proximity of food outlets within a buffer zone around the school) and two characterised the food environment using qualitative data. Outcome measures varied considerably. Only one study examined effects on food purchasing behaviour. Far more common were studies examining effects on the consumption of fruit and vegetables and of foods high in fat, sugar, or salt, or the effects on bodyweight. The one study that examined the associations between food outlets and food purchases showed a significant correlation between the proximity of fast food outlets and the number of fast food purchases. Five papers assessed associations between food outlets around schools and the consumption of fruits and vegetables. 34 relations were assessed, half of which showed a positive correlation. Only one of these results was significant (p<0·05). Five papers assessed associations between the food environment and consumption of foods high in fat, sugar, or salt. 41 assessments were reported, 21 of which showed that the number of food outlets near schools was associated with increased consumption of these foods. None of the results were significant. 14 papers examined associations between the food environment and increased bodyweight. 57 assessments were reported, 33 of which were positive and the remainder negative. Among the positive associations, 15 were significant. Among the 24 negative associations, seven were significant. InterpretationThis review of the scientific literature found very little evidence for an effect of the retail food environment surrounding schools on food purchases and consumption patterns, but some evidence of an effect on bodyweight. Given the general lack of evidence for association with the mediating variables of food purchasing and food consumption, and the observational nature of the studies included in this review, it is possible that this finding is a result of residual confounding. The methods for the studies varied, but many contained worrying limitations; for example, most studies measured exposure at the level of the school and only one study considered children's actual journeys through the food environment. Better studies are required to inform effective public health policies. FundingBritish Heart Foundation, NHS Berkshire.

Monitoring the availability of healthy and unhealthy foods and non‐alcoholic beverages in community and consumer retail food environments globally

Retail food environments are increasingly considered influential in determining dietary behaviours and health outcomes. We reviewed the available evidence on associations between community (type, availability and accessibility of food outlets) and consumer (product availability, prices, promotions and nutritional quality within stores) food environments and dietary outcomes in order to develop an evidence-based framework for monitoring the availability of healthy and unhealthy foods and non-alcoholic beverages in retail food environments. Current evidence is suggestive of an association between community and consumer food environments and dietary outcomes; however, substantial heterogeneity in study designs, methods and measurement tools makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions. The use of standardized tools to monitor local food environments within and across countries may help to validate this relationship. We propose a step-wise framework to monitor and benchmark community and consumer retail food environments that can be used to assess density of healthy and unhealthy food outlets; measure proximity of healthy and unhealthy food outlets to homes/schools; evaluate availability of healthy and unhealthy foods in-store; compare food environments over time and between regions and countries; evaluate compliance with local policies, guidelines or voluntary codes of practice; and determine the impact of changes to retail food environments on health outcomes, such as obesity.

Middle school food environments and racial/ethnic differences in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption: Findings from the Healthy Choices study

BackgroundPrior studies have demonstrated disproportionate clustering of fast food outlets around schools. PurposeThe purpose of this study is to determine if racial/ethnic differences in middle school student self-reported sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is explained by differential distributions of food outlets surrounding their schools. MethodsBaseline (2005) data were analyzed from 18,281 middle school students in 47 Massachusetts schools participating in Healthy Choices, an obesity prevention program. Linear mixed effects models were used to examine the association of individual race/ethnicity and daily SSB consumption and the potential mediating effect of the density of food outlets (the number of fast food outlets and convenience stores in a 1500m buffer area surrounding the school) on this association adjusting for individual and school demographics. ResultsMore SSB consumption was reported by students of all racial/ethnic minority groups compared to their White peers except Asians. The density of fast food restaurants and convenience stores was not associated with individual SSB consumption (β=0.001, p=0.875) nor did it mediate the association of race/ethnicity and SSB consumption. ConclusionsRacial and ethnic differences in SSB consumption among MA middle school students cannot be fully explained by the location of fast food restaurants and convenience stores.

PP61 Neighbourhoods and Ethnic Differences in Biological ‘Wear and Tear’

BackgroundWe recently showed that ethnic minorities tend to live in deprived neighbourhoods with a high density of fast food outlets and less green space. We examine whether these neighbourhood characteristics...

Neighbourhood food environments and body mass index among New York City adults

BackgroundStudies evaluating the impact of the neighbourhood food environment on obesity have summarised the density or proximity of individual food outlets. Though informative, there is a need to consider the...

A spatial analysis of the association between restaurant density and body mass index in Canadian adults

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between fast-food restaurant density and adult body mass index (BMI) in Canada. MethodsIndividual-level BMI and confounding variables were obtained from the 2007–2008 Canadian Community Health Survey master file. Locations of the fast-food and full-service chain restaurants and other non-chain restaurants were obtained from the 2008 Infogroup Canada business database. Food outlet density (fast-food, full-service and other) per 10,000 population was calculated for each Forward Sortation Area (FSA). Global (Moran's I) and local indicators of spatial autocorrelation of BMI were assessed. Ordinary least squares (OLS) and spatial auto-regressive error (SARE) methods were used to assess the association between local food environment and adult BMI in Canada. ResultsGlobal and local spatial autocorrelation of BMI were found in our univariate analysis. We found that OLS and SARE estimates were very similar in our multivariate models. An additional fast-food restaurant per 10,000 people at the FSA-level is associated with a 0.022kg/m2 increase in BMI. On the other hand, other restaurant density is negatively related to BMI. ConclusionsFast-food restaurant density is positively associated with BMI in Canada. Results suggest that restricting availability of fast-food in local neighborhoods may play a role in obesity prevention.

Examining School-day Dietary Practices: Associations with Student Characteristics and School Food Environment Exposures

Objective: To examine individual and school-level determinants of school-day dietary practices among grade 5 to 8 students. Theory, Prior Research, Rationale: School-based approaches to improving dietary practices often focus on individuals and fail to consider the role of environments in shaping diet. Research which examines whether school environments impact the school-day dietary practices of youth is needed. Study Design, Setting, Participants, and Intervention: Participants for this cross-sectional study included 950 youth (mean age 12.5 years; 48.6% Female) from 26 Vancouver, BC schools. Student-level data was collected through an online survey and were combined with school and neighborhood-level datasets. Outcome, Measures and Analysis: Outcome measures included daily intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), packaged snacks, and energy-dense processed foods, along with weekly food purchases from limited service locations off-campus. Multi-level logistic regression analyses were run. Missing values on independent variables were multiply imputed using chained equations. Results: After controlling for individual characteristics (i.e., gender, acculturation, food security, bringing lunch from home and spending money), only daily SSB intake and weekly off-campus food purchasing varied significantly between schools. Final full models indicate that boys were more likely than girls to consume energy-dense processed foods and SSBs, as were food insecure youth. Secondary students had higher odds of consuming energydense processed foods and purchasing food off-campus. Students who brought lunch from home had higher odds of consuming packaged snacks but lower odds of purchasing food off-campus. Conclusions and Implications: Despite betweenschool variability for two dietary outcomes, school-level variables (i.e., food outlet density and closest distance) were not significant predictors. Future research should examine other contextual factors that may influence the school-day dietary practices of youth. Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research. P191 Food Pantry Focus Groups to Identify Nutrition Education Needs Ellen Pudney, BS, ellen.pudney@gmail.com, Northern Illinois University, 1234D Rushmoore Drive, DeKalb, IL 60115; K. Brasseur, MS, RD, LDN, Northern Illinois Food Bank; A. Ozier, PhD, RD, LDN, Northern Illinois University; M. Norris, BS; M. O'Connor, BS

Disentangling neighborhood contextual associations with child body mass index, diet, and physical activity: The role of built, socioeconomic, and social environments

Obesity prevalence among US children and adolescents has tripled in the past three decades. Consequently, dramatic increases in chronic disease incidence are expected, particularly among populations already experiencing health disparities. Recent evidence identifies characteristics of “obesogenic” neighborhood environments that affect weight and weight-related behaviors. This study aimed to examine associations between built, socioeconomic, and social characteristics of a child's residential environment on body mass index (BMI), diet, and physical activity. We focused on pre-adolescent children living in New Haven, Connecticut to better understand neighborhood environments' contribution to persistent health disparities. Participants were 1048 fifth and sixth grade students who completed school-based health surveys and physical measures in fall 2009. Student data were linked to US Census, parks, retailer, and crime data. Analyses were conducted using multilevel modeling. Property crimes and living further from a grocery store were associated with higher BMI. Students living within a 5-min walk of a fast food outlet had higher BMI, and those living in a tract with higher density of fast food outlets reported less frequent healthy eating and more frequent unhealthy eating. Students' reported perceptions of access to parks, playgrounds, and gyms were associated with more frequent healthy eating and exercise. Students living in more affluent neighborhoods reported more frequent healthy eating, less unhealthy eating, and less screen time. Neighborhood social ties were positively associated with frequency of exercise. In conclusion, distinct domains of neighborhood environment characteristics were independently related to children's BMI and health behaviors. Findings link healthy behaviors with built, social, and socioeconomic environment assets (access to parks, social ties, affluence), and unhealthy behaviors with built environment inhibitors (access to fast food outlets), suggesting neighborhood environments are an important level at which to intervene to prevent childhood obesity and its adverse consequences.

Socio-economic status, neighbourhood food environments and consumption of fruits and vegetables in New York City

Recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption are largely unmet. Lower socio-economic status (SES), neighbourhood poverty and poor access to retail outlets selling healthy foods are thought to predict lower consumption. The objective of the present study was to assess the interrelationships between these risk factors as predictors of fruit and vegetable consumption. Cross-sectional multilevel analyses of data on fruit and vegetable consumption, socio-demographic characteristics, neighbourhood poverty and access to healthy retail food outlets. Survey data from the 2002 and 2004 New York City Community Health Survey, linked by residential zip code to neighbourhood data. Adult survey respondents (n 15 634). Overall 9?9% of respondents reported eating $5 servings of fruits or vegetables in the day prior to the survey. The odds of eating $5 servings increased with higher income among women and with higher educational attainment among men and women. Compared with women having less than a high-school education, the OR was 1?12 (95% CI 0?82, 1?55) for high-school graduates, 1?95 (95% CI 1?43, 2?66) for those with some college education and 2?13 (95% CI 1?56, 2?91) for college graduates. The association between education and fruit and vegetable consumption was significantly stronger for women living in lower- v. higher-poverty zip codes (P for interaction,0?05). The density of healthy food outlets did not predict consumption of fruits or vegetables. Higher SES is associated with higher consumption of produce, an association that, in women, is stronger for those residing in lower-poverty neighbourhoods.

Relationships Between Neighborhoods, Physical Activity, and Obesity: A Multilevel Analysis of a Large Canadian City

In Canada, there is limited research examining the associations between objectively measured neighborhood environments and physical activity (PA) and obesity. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between variables from built and social environments and PA and overweight/obesity across 86 Ottawa, Canada neighborhoods. Individual-level data including self-reported leisure-time PA (LTPA), height, and weight were examined in a sample of 4,727 adults from four combined cycles (years 2001/03/05/07) of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). Data on neighborhood characteristics were obtained from the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study (ONS); a large study of neighborhoods and health in Ottawa, Canada. Binomial multivariate multilevel models were used to examine the relationships between environmental and individual variables with LTPA and overweight/obesity using survey weights in men and women separately. Within the sample, ~75% of the adults were inactive (<3.0 kcal/kg/day) while half were overweight/obese. Results of the multilevel models suggested that for females greater park area was associated with increased odds of LTPA and overweight/obesity. Greater neighborhood density of convenience stores and fast food outlets were associated with increased odds of females being overweight/obese. Higher crime rates were associated with greater odds of LTPA in males, and lower odds of male and female overweight/obesity. Season was significantly associated with PA in men and women; the odds of LTPA in winter months were half that of summer months. Findings revealed that park area, crime rates, and neighborhood food outlets may have different roles with LTPA and overweight/obesity in men and women and future prospective studies are needed.