Characterising urban green space density and footpath-accessibility in models of BMI
Abstract Background While exposure to urban green spaces has been associated with various physical health benefits, the evidence linking these spaces to lower BMI, particularly among older people, is mixed. We ask whether footpath availability, generally unobserved in the existing literature, may me...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2020-05-01
|
| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-020-08853-9 |
| _version_ | 1819113573942558720 |
|---|---|
| author | Philip Carthy Sean Lyons Anne Nolan |
| author_facet | Philip Carthy Sean Lyons Anne Nolan |
| author_sort | Philip Carthy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background While exposure to urban green spaces has been associated with various physical health benefits, the evidence linking these spaces to lower BMI, particularly among older people, is mixed. We ask whether footpath availability, generally unobserved in the existing literature, may mediate exposure to urban green space and help explain this volatility in results. The aim of this study is to add to the literature on the association between urban green space and BMI by considering alternative measures of urban green space that incorporate measures of footpath availability. Methods We conduct a cross-sectional study combining data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing and detailed land use information. We proxy respondents’ exposure to urban green spaces at their residential addresses using street-side and area buffers that take account of the presence of footpaths. Generalised linear models are used to test the association between exposure to several measures of urban green space and BMI. Results Relative to the third quintile, exposure to the lowest quintile of urban green space, as measured within a 1600 m footpath-accessible network buffer, is associated with slightly higher BMI (marginal effect: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.16–1.44). The results, however, are not robust to small changes in how green space is measured and no statistically significant association between urban green spaces and BMI is found under other variants of our regression model. Conclusion The relationship between urban green spaces and BMI among older adults is highly sensitive to the characterisation of local green space. Our results suggest that there are some unobserved factors other than footpath availability that mediate the relationship between urban green spaces and weight status. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T04:31:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8316ee8bd0c34165b010626284c602e5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T04:31:34Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-8316ee8bd0c34165b010626284c602e52022-12-21T18:39:00ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582020-05-0120111210.1186/s12889-020-08853-9Characterising urban green space density and footpath-accessibility in models of BMIPhilip Carthy0Sean Lyons1Anne Nolan2Economic and Social Research InstituteEconomic and Social Research InstituteEconomic and Social Research InstituteAbstract Background While exposure to urban green spaces has been associated with various physical health benefits, the evidence linking these spaces to lower BMI, particularly among older people, is mixed. We ask whether footpath availability, generally unobserved in the existing literature, may mediate exposure to urban green space and help explain this volatility in results. The aim of this study is to add to the literature on the association between urban green space and BMI by considering alternative measures of urban green space that incorporate measures of footpath availability. Methods We conduct a cross-sectional study combining data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing and detailed land use information. We proxy respondents’ exposure to urban green spaces at their residential addresses using street-side and area buffers that take account of the presence of footpaths. Generalised linear models are used to test the association between exposure to several measures of urban green space and BMI. Results Relative to the third quintile, exposure to the lowest quintile of urban green space, as measured within a 1600 m footpath-accessible network buffer, is associated with slightly higher BMI (marginal effect: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.16–1.44). The results, however, are not robust to small changes in how green space is measured and no statistically significant association between urban green spaces and BMI is found under other variants of our regression model. Conclusion The relationship between urban green spaces and BMI among older adults is highly sensitive to the characterisation of local green space. Our results suggest that there are some unobserved factors other than footpath availability that mediate the relationship between urban green spaces and weight status.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-020-08853-9Body mass indexUrban green spaceFootpathsOlder adultsIreland |
| spellingShingle | Philip Carthy Sean Lyons Anne Nolan Characterising urban green space density and footpath-accessibility in models of BMI BMC Public Health Body mass index Urban green space Footpaths Older adults Ireland |
| title | Characterising urban green space density and footpath-accessibility in models of BMI |
| title_full | Characterising urban green space density and footpath-accessibility in models of BMI |
| title_fullStr | Characterising urban green space density and footpath-accessibility in models of BMI |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterising urban green space density and footpath-accessibility in models of BMI |
| title_short | Characterising urban green space density and footpath-accessibility in models of BMI |
| title_sort | characterising urban green space density and footpath accessibility in models of bmi |
| topic | Body mass index Urban green space Footpaths Older adults Ireland |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-020-08853-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT philipcarthy characterisingurbangreenspacedensityandfootpathaccessibilityinmodelsofbmi AT seanlyons characterisingurbangreenspacedensityandfootpathaccessibilityinmodelsofbmi AT annenolan characterisingurbangreenspacedensityandfootpathaccessibilityinmodelsofbmi |