Essay Sample on Built-in Environment for Health in Neighborhoods

Introduction

A built-in environment in neighborhoods is directly proportionate to the health of individuals. It is because the setting determines the physical activities, sedentary time and health behaviors. Public health recommends reduced sedentary time, increased physical activity and maintenance of healthy body weight for adolescents. These factors can reduce teenage obesity determined by the built-in environment. Therefore, health behaviors are correlated to the physical settings. The weather, geography and neighborhood design are some of the aspects that make up a physical setting. The environment can influence both positive and negative health behavior such that parks can influence exercising while fast-food restaurants can increase poor diet. There are studies conducted on adults that show the effects of the environment on health behaviors. The findings are consistent as opposed to those directed at the youth. The study aims to provide evidence of the relationship between recreational environments and sedimentary behavior, physical activity, and obesity using a sample of adolescents in San Diego.

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The environment plays a role in health behaviors. For example, a study by Weir et al. revealed that girls in urban areas engage in more physical activities than those in rural areas. The reason is that parents have more safety concerns in rural areas. Congruently, the presence of parks increases the levels of physical activity in a location. Other factors include the proximity to the park, population density, and commercial facilities. In urban centers, youth are found to be more active and less sedentary compared to the adolescents in rural areas. Various studies that have shown that the physical environment affects healthy behavior. In this study, there is further investigation using a statistical classification procedure, latent profile analysis. The clusters of environments would elucidate the effects of the surroundings on obesity, physical activity and sedentary time.

The study used a total of 878 adolescents aged between 11 to 15 years. Distribution of gender and race was even so as their geographical location. The measures used included geocoding the residential addresses of the participants, identifying parks and recreational space, determining residential density, taking count of the educational institutions, assessing home values, determining walkability index, body mass index, and demographics. Statistical analysis conducted using the latent profile analysis classed continuous variables hypothesized to affect weight status and activity level of adolescents. Health and gender were taken into account since they influence children's physical activity. Results from the study show that girls living in cul-de-sac neighborhoods are less active compared to those living in open space neighborhoods. Boys in dense housing facilities exhibited more sedentary times compared to those in open space and cul-de-sac neighborhoods. The dense housing facilities had the highest case of obesity for both genders.

Conclusion

This study correlates with previous studies on the relationship of sedentary behavior, physical activity, and area profiles. Therefore, the hypothesis that physical environments influence health behaviors is correct. Areas with high-density houses have fewer spaces for recreation hence less physical activity. Such neighborhoods have high-calorie food choices that alter physical activities. Results of the study are only limited to areas that are similar to San Diego County where the majority environment is as open space with limited high dense housing. The research can help inform legislative decisions on health promotion about the physical environment.