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Environments perceived as obesogenic have lower residential property values
Adam Drewnowski1, Anju Aggarwal1, Colin D Rehm1
1Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|July 23, 2014
Summary
Perceived obesogenic environments, like those with crime or fast food, correlate with lower property values. Higher property values are linked to lower body mass index (BMI) in women.
Area of Science:
- Urban planning and public health research.
- Environmental psychology and socioeconomics.
Background:
- Obesity rates and physical activity are increasingly linked to the built environment.
- Understanding these connections is crucial for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between residential property values and perceived obesogenic environmental factors.
- To determine if property values mediate the association between the environment and body mass index (BMI).
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Seattle Obesity Study (SOS), a telephone survey of 2,001 King County adults.
- Geocoded home addresses and obtained residential property values. Calculated mean property values within an 833-m buffer.
- Employed correlation and multivariable linear regression analyses, stratified by residential density, to assess associations.
Main Results:
- Negative environmental perceptions (crime, traffic, fast food proximity) were associated with lower property values.
- Positive perceptions (safety, quiet, cleanliness, attractiveness) were linked to higher property values.
- Higher property values correlated with lower BMIs in women, with this association largely explained by property values.
Conclusions:
- Environments perceived as obesogenic are associated with decreased residential property values.
- Further research is needed to confirm these findings in diverse locations and explore other perceived environmental influences.
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