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The Built Environment Moderates Effects of Family-Based Childhood Obesity Treatment over 2 Years

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Research suggests the neighborhood built environment is related to child physical activity and eating.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine if characteristics of the neighborhood environment moderate the relationship between obesity treatment and weight loss, and if outcomes of particular treatments are moderated by built environment characteristics.

Method

The relationship between the built environment and standardized BMI (zBMI) changes for 191 8–12-year-old children who participated in one of four randomized, controlled trials of pediatric weight management was assessed using mixed models analysis of covariance.

Results

At 2-year follow-up, greater parkland, fewer convenience stores, and fewer supermarkets were associated with greater zBMI reduction across all interventions. No treatments interacted with characteristics of the built environment.

Conclusions

Activity- and eating-related built neighborhood characteristics are associated with child success in behavioral obesity treatments. Efficacy may be improved by individualizing treatments based on built environment characteristics.

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Acknowledgments

Appreciation is expressed to Dominica Vito, CeCe Gordy, and Colleen Kilanowski, who coordinated studies at the University at Buffalo; and research assistants, therapists, and families who made this research possible; to Robert Shibley, Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning, for providing a GIS parks layer; to Dale Morris, Erie County, New York, for providing Erie County GIS parcel layers; and Kruti Bhatia for assistance with land parcel data. The development of this article was funded in part by grants HD 25997, HD 39778, HD 39792, and HD 42766 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, grant DK 88380 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Diseases, awarded to Dr. Epstein, and grant MH070446 from the National Institute of Mental Health awarded to Dr.Wilfley. The funding agencies were not involved in analysis or interpretation of the data.

Conflict of Interest

The authors do not have any conflict of interests.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA

    Leonard H. Epstein Ph.D., Tinuke Oluyomi Daniel B.Sc. & Rocco A. Paluch M.S.

  2. University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning, Buffalo, NY, USA

    Samina Raja Ph.D.

  3. Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA

    Denise E. Wilfley Ph.D.

  4. Seattle Children’s Hospital and University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Brian E. Saelens Ph.D.

  5. USDA-ARS-NPA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, 2420 2ND Avenue North, Grand Forks, ND, 58202-9034, USA

    James N. Roemmich Ph.D.

  6. Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Farber Hall, Room G56, 3435 Main Street, Building #26, Buffalo, NY, 14214-3000, USA

    Leonard H. Epstein Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Leonard H. Epstein Ph.D.
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  2. Samina Raja Ph.D.
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  3. Tinuke Oluyomi Daniel B.Sc.
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  4. Rocco A. Paluch M.S.
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  5. Denise E. Wilfley Ph.D.
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  6. Brian E. Saelens Ph.D.
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  7. James N. Roemmich Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leonard H. Epstein Ph.D..

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Epstein, L.H., Raja, S., Daniel, T.O. et al. The Built Environment Moderates Effects of Family-Based Childhood Obesity Treatment over 2 Years. ann. behav. med. 44, 248–258 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9383-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9383-4

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