Cumulative residential greenness and childhood body mass index

Childhood obesity is a complex and multifaceted public health issue. Several studies have found that children living in greener neighborhoods have a lower body mass index (BMI); however, evidence on longitudinal exposure remains limited. This study examined the relationship between Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), green space, and children's weight status using linked environmental and national health data.

We derived annual EVI values from Landsat 8 satellite imagery (30 m resolution) within 300 m of a child's residence in Wales from 2008 to 2019. Mean EVI exposure was calculated for the 4 years preceding BMI measurement. We utilized 2017 Ordnance Survey Open Greenspace data to identify green spaces within 800 m of a child's residence. BMI obtained from the Child Measurement Programme for Wales (2012/13 to 2018/19) for children aged 4-5 years was used to define healthy versus overweight/obesity. We used logistic regression to evaluate associations between residential greenness, green spaces, and childhood weight status.

The final cohort consisted of 200,237 children. A one-unit increase in EVI was associated with a 20% higher likelihood of being overweight or obese (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.37). For every additional green space within 800 m, the likelihood of having an unhealthy weight increased by 0.3%.

Our findings suggest that EVI and access to green spaces should be interpreted with care, as they may not capture how young children interact with nearby green environments. Future work investigating the impact of greenness and greenspace on child weight status should use measures tailored to more accurately represent age-specific behaviors.