Health-related behaviors of vulnerable children are linked to neighborhood featuresThe aim of this study was to identify the actual and perceived features of neighborhood environments linked to health-related behaviors and obesity status in vulnerable children. Participants were 126 children (age 9-12) registered at community child care centers in Seoul, South Korea and 10 mothers of study participants. The community child care centers, generally located in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods, provide public welfare services, including after-school care.
A self-report questionnaire was used to collect information about the children’s health behaviors. Both eating and activity behaviors were assessed. For eating behaviors, children were asked to report the number of days they consumed fast food (or sugar-sweetened beverages or fruit/vegetables) per week on average during the past 6 months. For activity behaviors, they were asked to report the number of days they exercised moderately or vigorously for 60 minutes per week on average during the past 6 months. Children’s body weight and height were measured using an electronic weight/body fat scale and standing height scale. Approximately 16% of the children participating in this study were found to be obese.
Focus groups were used to collect information from the mothers about the neighborhood environments. Three questions guided the discussion: “What do you think about your neighborhoods?” “What do you think about your neighborhoods linked to children’s eating and activity behaviors?” and “What kinds of strategies do you address for changing your neighborhoods to promote children’s healthy eating and activity behaviors?” Both geographic information systems (GIS) technology and walking surveys, including children and mothers as surveyors, were used to evaluate the actual neighborhood features.
Mothers participating in this study perceived their neighborhoods as having vulnerability to unhealthy behaviors. They noted, for example, that Korean fast food outlets were affordable, available, and accessible to children in the neighborhood.
Findings indicated that children exposed to a high density of Korean fast food outlets were significantly more likely to consume fast food, while children with longer distances to Korean fast food outlets were significantly less likely to consume fast food. Additionally, children with reduced availability of physical activity outlets were more likely to engage in more sedentary behaviors. Although linked to health behaviors, the presence of unhealthy neighborhood features were not linked to obesity status.
Based on the findings, one conclusion offered by the researchers is that well-appointed activity facilities in the neighborhood may be necessary for children to acquire the recommended amount of physical activity. Such activity facilities, they suggest, could be partly achieved by schools.
The Bottom Line