Neighborhood Food Environment Related to Obesity Levels

Many people who live in the US inner cities and rural areas do not have nearby access to sources of a balanced diet.  In many of these areas, the food choices are dominated by fast food restaurants and convenience stores which offer a diet high in fat, sugar, corn syrup and white flour and low in fruits and vegetables.  In addition, many people’s food shopping ability is limited by lack of access to a car and/or high neighborhood crime rates.  The poor food environmental in many inner city and rural areas may contribute to the especially high rates of obesity (overweight), cancer, heart disease and asthma in those areas.

A recent study compared rates of obesity in 12,000 New York City adults (those who has a Body Mass Index= BMI of over 30 kilograms per height in meters squared) with proximity to various types of food stores and restaurants.   This study was published in the February 2009 Environmental Health Perspectives.  Residents who lived within one half mile of many healthy food sources such as supermarkets, health food stores, farmers markets, fruit and vegetable stands and fish markets had a significantly lower  rates of obesity than average.  On the other hand, those residents who lived within one half mile of many unhealthy food outlets such as convenience stores, candy shops, bakeries and fast food restaurants had a significantly higher rate of obesity than average.  This study was corrected for such factors as race, economic class and age.

Other studies have also noted that community gardening programs can greatly increase fruit and vegetable consumption in both children and adults.