Neighborhood socioeconomics, food environment and land use determinants of public health: Isolating the relative importance for essential policy insights. (November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhou, Min; Tan, Shukui; Tao, Yinghui; Lu, Yongzhong; Zhang, Zuo; Zhang, Lu; Yan, Danping
• Is Part Of: Land use policy. Volume 68(2017)
• Page Start: 246
• Page End: 253
• Publication Date: 2017-11
• Subjects: OI obesity incidence -- PLIH percentage of low-income household -- PBCW percentage of blue-collar workers -- PPLU percentage of people in long-term unemployment -- IR illiteracy rate -- PENFE percentage of people receiving no fundamental education -- PPDES percentage of people with degree below elementary school -- PHKT percentage of households without kitchens or toilets -- PHBF percentage of households without bathing facilities -- PHTW percentage of households without tapping water -- PHFH percentage of households without fixed housing -- PNP percentage of non-registered population -- PMN percentage of minor nationalities -- DS density of supermarket -- DFFM density of fresh food market -- DFFR density of fast food restaurant -- DCS density of convenience store -- DFSR density of full service restaurants -- PPGS percentage of public green space -- PPOS percentage of public open space -- PIL percentage of institutional land; Land use determinants -- Socioeconomic status -- Food environment -- Obesity -- Health in all policies; Land use -- Periodicals; Land use -- Government policy -- Periodicals; Sol, Utilisation du -- Périodiques; Sol, Utilisation du -- Politique gouvernementale -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 333.7305
• DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.07.043
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-8377

Abstract

Abstract: Recent literature has advocated the connection between land use policies with public health promotion. In this regard, examining the land use determinants of public health and isolating the relative importance with other influential factors should provide essential policy insights. However, very limited efforts have been made in this aspect, particularly for the developing countries. Using a case of Wuhan (China), this paper attempts to capture the land use determinants of obesity prevalence among middle-aged adults and to compare the relative importance with neighborhood socioeconomics and food environment. A conceptual framework is first proposed to guide the analysis within a land use policy context. Data are then collected during the China's National Physical Fitness Survey in 2010 and multivariate linear regression is applied to analyze the district level determinants. Results show that neighborhood socioeconomics, food environment and land use all have significant effects on obesity prevalence among the middle-aged adults. The men obesity is associated with the occupation, education and housing, while women obesity is correlated with income and housing. Women obesity associates with healthy food environment, while men obesity correlates with unhealthy food environment. Open public space is negative to women obesity, and institutional land is negative to men obesity. Greater walkability and street connectivity associate with lower obesity risk for both genders. The variance decomposition demonstrates that food environment is the most important determinant of men obesity, while land use is the most essential determinant of women obesity. For the obesity prevalence among total population, neighborhood socioeconomics are key determinants. Based on our analysis, we finally provide some insights for land use policies that aim at addressing the obesity issue in developing countries.