• Samaah M Sullivan, Meghan M Brashear, Stephanie T Broyles, and Ariane L Rung.
• Epidemiology Program, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health, 2020 Gravier St., 3rd Floor, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. Electronic address: ssull1@lsuhsc.edu.
• Prev Med. 2014 Apr 1; 61: 1-5.

ObjectiveTo examine possible associations between perceived neighborhood environments and obesity among a U.S. nationally representative sample of Afro-Caribbean, African American, and Non-Hispanic white adults.MethodsData was used from the 2001-2003 National Survey of American Life (NSAL). All measures including neighborhood characteristics, height, and weight were self-reported. Multivariate logistic regression was used to compute odds ratios (ORs) of obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m(2)) based on perceived neighborhood physical and social characteristics.ResultsThe odds of obesity were significantly lower for adults who reported involvement in clubs, associations, or help groups (odds ratio (OR): 0.62; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.44, 0.85) and perceived that they had a park, playground, or open space in their neighborhood (odds ratio (OR): 0.68; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.47, 0.98). These associations remained significant after adjusting for leisure-time physical activity. Race/ethnicity appeared to modify the association between involvement in clubs, associations, or help groups and obesity.ConclusionsProviding parks, playgrounds, or open space or increasing the perception of those amenities may assist in the prevention of obesity, especially in ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the United States. More research is needed to investigate how perceptions of the neighborhood environment influence obesity and whether perceptions of the neighborhood environment differ between individuals within the same neighborhoods.Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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