Characterizing physical activity and food urban environments: a GIS-based multicomponent proposal. Issue 1 (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cebrecos, Alba; Díez, Julia; Gullón, Pedro; Bilal, Usama; Franco, Manuel; Escobar, Francisco
• Is Part Of: International journal of health geographics. Volume 15:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 13
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: Synthetic index -- Geographic Information Systems -- Healthy food availability -- Physical activity -- Obesogenic environments; Geographic information systems -- Health aspects -- Periodicals; Geography -- Health aspects -- Periodicals; 614.40285
• DOI: 10.1186/s12942-016-0065-5
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1476-072X

Abstract

Abstract Background Healthier urban environments influence the distribution of cardiovascular risk factors. Our aim was to design and implement a multicomponent method based on Geographic Information Systems to characterize and evaluate environmental correlates of obesity: the food and the physical activity urban environments. Methods Study location comprised a socio-demographically average urban area of 12 contiguous census sections (≈16, 000 residents), in Madrid, Spain. We conducted on-field audits on all food stores and street segments. We designed a synthetic index integrating continuous measures of both environments, by kernel density analyses. Index ranges from 0 to 100 (least-most healthy). Results We found a heterogeneous distribution with 75 and 50 % of the area scoring less than 36.8 and 25.5, respectively. Census sections of study area were categorized by Jenks intervals as high, medium–high, medium–low and low. 41.0 % of residents lived in an area with a low score, 23.6 % medium–low and 31.1 % medium–high and 4.2 % in a high. Conclusion The proposed synthetic index may be a relevant tool to inform urban health interventions, providing a feasible way to integrate different measures of barriers and facilitators of healthy urban environments in terms of food and physical activity.