Certain features of the built environment, including proximity to parks and greenspace, are linked with increased physical activity and reduced obesity in Chinese children and adolescentsA recent report on childhood obesity in China indicates that the prevalence of overweight/obese children nationwide increased from 6.2 million in 1985 to 35 million in 2014. Previous research – conducted primarily in developed countries – documents a relationship between the built environment and physical activity levels in children and adults. As an active lifestyle can reduce the risk of obesity, designing built environments that promote physical activity could serve as a preventive measure to curb the rapidly-increasing obesity rates in children.
This review investigated evidence regarding the impact of built environment on physical activity and obesity among children and adolescents living in China, a country anticipating unprecedented urbanization and urban expansion. Twenty studies met the review criteria, which included a focus on physical activity and/or body weight status of Chinese children and/or adolescents aged 17 years and younger. The included studies were published in peer-reviewed journals and included a subjective or objective measure of the built environment around the homes of participating children and adolescents. All of the included studies were published in or after 2006. The physical activity behaviors measured in the studies included physical activity, physical inactivity, sedentary behavior, active/passive commuting from/to school, and park visits. Body weight measures were based on both objective measures and self-reports. Procedures used for obtaining measures of the built environment included parent surveys, geographical information systems, and field observations.
Sixteen of the twenty studies provided some quantitative estimates of the influence of built environment on physical activity and body weight status. The overall findings of these studies showed that the availability and accessibility in proximity to greenspace, park, recreational facility, and sidewalk were associated with increased physical activity levels, reduced sedentary behavior, and/or active commuting among Chinese children and adolescents. The lack of bike lanes and living in higher residential density areas, on the other hand, were associated with increased likelihood of childhood overweight and obesity.
The findings of this review indicate that the neighborhood built environment plays an important role in Chinese children’s physical activity levels and weight outcomes. These findings support urban designs that incorporate sidewalks, bike lanes, walking paths, less motorized traffic, and lower residential density. Implementing such designs may increase the activity levels of children and adolescents in China and decrease childhood obesity.
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