The Seattle Children's Research Institute analyzed children living in different types of neighbourhoods and found kids who resided in less walkable areas with fewer recreational activities had a higher prevalence of obesity compared with kids living in more environmentally supportive areas. The researchers wrote children living in the less favourable neighbourhoods tended to have greater gains in BMI z-scores. Those who lived in neighbourhoods considered to be low-physical activity and low-nutrition environments reported significantly more sedentary daily time and a much greater daily energy intake compared with those who lived in both a high physical activity and nutritional neighborhood. The researchers say creating healthy neighbourhood requires actions by municipal governments (zoning), transportation departments (street design), parks departments, multiple components of the food industry and multiple government agencies that regulate food retail.
NBHC Population Health