The Neighborhood Food Environment and the Onset of Child-Hood Obesity: A Retrospective Time-Trend Study in a Mid-sized City in China

Abstract

Nowadays, obesity and its associated chronic diseases have become a steadily growing public health problem, spreading from the older to younger age groups. Studies have contended that the built environment, particularly the food environment and walkability, may contribute to the prevalence of childhood obesity. In Asian countries which are characterized by rapid urbanization, high population density and oriental diets, little is known about how such urban built environment affects the onset of childhood obesity. This study juxtaposes the effect of food environment, walkability, and outdoor activity spaces at the neighborhood level upon childhood body weight in a mid-sized city in China. This observational study utilizes a retrospective time-trend study design to examine the associations between neighborhood built environment and children's body weight in Zhanjiang City, a mid-sized city in Guangdong Province, China. Robust multiple linear and logistic regression models were used to estimate associations between the built environments and child BMI and weight status (i.e., overweight/obesity and obesity only). This study finds that: (1) Western-style fast food and Chinese-style fast food have divergent impacts on childhood body weight. At neighborhood level, while increased exposure to Western-style fast food may increase child BMI and the risk of overweight and obesity, increased exposure to Chinese-style fast food, on the contrary, may reduce child BMI and the risk of overweight and obesity, indicating a positive health impact of Chinese-style fast food. (2) However, the positive health impacts brought about by Chinese-style fast food, walkable environments and accessible traditional fruit/vegetable markets have gradually disappeared in recent years. This study is among the first to simultaneously consider the divergent and changing impact of food environment upon childhood body weight in urban China. The findings provide important implications for healthy city design and the management of food retail industry in addressing the obesity epidemic in younger generations living in Asian cities. As prominent differences exist in food culture between Asian and Western cities, more attention should be paid to healthy food environment in future studies and related urban planning strategies formulation.