Associations between the neighborhood social environment and obesity among adolescents: Do physical activity, screen time, and sleep play a role?

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Ryan Saelee, Emory University; Julie Gazmararian, Emory University; Regine Haardörfer, Emory University; Shakira Suglia, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2020-07-01
• Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102380
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: HEALTH & PLACE
• Volume: 64
• Grant/Funding Information: Supported by the National Institutes of Health (T32HL130025 and HL125761).
• Keywords: UNITED-STATES; DISADVANTAGE; CHILDREN; RECOMMENDATIONS; Screen time; Social environment; Sleep; Exercise; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; CHILDHOOD OBESITY; DURATION; BODY-MASS INDEX; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; SAFETY; Pediatric obesity; GROWTH TRAJECTORIES; Science & Technology; SINGLE-MOTHER

Abstract

This study examines: (1) the association between the neighborhood social environment and obesity among adolescents, (2) whether physical activity, screen time, and short sleep mediates this association, and (3) examine sex differences. Participants (n = 12,692; age 11–19 years old) came from Waves I and II of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Neighborhood social disorganization and socioeconomic status (NSES) measures were associated with obesity adjusting for sex, race, age, parental education, and urbanicity. Screen time mediated NSES and obesity. Very short sleep duration (<6 h) mediated social disorganization and obesity among females only. Findings suggest improving neighborhood social conditions may reduce the risk for obesity.