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The built environment and obesity.

Mia A Papas¹, Anthony J Alberg, Reid Ewing

¹Departmentof Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, 737 West Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. miapapas@gmail.com

Epidemiologic Reviews

|May 30, 2007

Summary

The built environment, encompassing community structures, significantly impacts obesity. Most studies found a link between built environment features and increased obesity rates, highlighting the need for further research.

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Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report

Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report

Published on: May 30, 2025

Area of Science:

Public Health
Environmental Health
Epidemiology

Background:

Obesity arises from complex interactions between diet, physical activity, and environmental factors.
The built environment, comprising community structures, influences individual behaviors and health outcomes, including obesity.
Existing research suggests a connection between the built environment and obesity prevalence.

Purpose of the Study:

To systematically review empirical research linking the built environment to obesity.
To identify the extent and nature of associations between built environment characteristics and obesity.
To highlight methodological limitations in current research on this topic.

Main Methods:

Conducted a systematic literature search of Medline, PsychInfo, and Web of Science databases.
Used keywords such as 'obesity,' 'overweight,' 'neighborhood,' and 'built environment.'
Included English-language human population studies from 1966-2007 with objective measures of body weight and the built environment.

Main Results:

20 articles met the inclusion criteria from 1,506 abstracts.
84% of reviewed studies reported a significant positive association between built environment aspects and obesity.
Common methodological concerns included inconsistent built environment measurements and cross-sectional designs.

Conclusions:

The built environment is a significant factor associated with obesity.
Methodological inconsistencies and design limitations hinder definitive conclusions.
Further research is crucial to understand the built environment's impact on obesity and inform prevention strategies.