Environmental sprawl and weight status: The paradox of obesity in the food desert

American Journal of Health Promotion, San Diego, CA

2015

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Restricted access to healthy foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables (FFV), is a primary factor in the development of obesity. One previously underexplored measure of access is sprawl, which incorporates complex components of an area’s overall accessibility. This cross-sectional study employed secondary data analysis to quantitatively examine the role of sprawl on obesity and FFV consumption as measured by Body Mass Index (BMI) among a nationally representative sample (n=122,265). Obesity and FFV intake differed significantly by race, education, income, and perceptions of food security. Mutivariate analyses demonstrated that residents of more sprawling areas had significantly higher obesity rates and consumed significantly less FFV than residents of less sprawling areas. Given that low-income populations experience greater barriers to healthful foods and experience a disparate burden of obesity, future research should further explore causal linkages between the environment, BMI, and FFV access.

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