Neighborhood Characteristics Related to Changes in Anthropometrics During a Lifestyle Intervention for Persons with Obesity

Background

Since obesity has emerged as a major public health concern, there is an urgent need to better understand factors related to weight gain and treatment success.

Methods

This study included 118 persons with obesity who participated in a multidisciplinary combined lifestyle intervention with cognitive-behavioral therapy at the outpatient clinic of the Obesity Center CGG at Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Neighborhood characteristics were assessed using a 13-item questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the association between perceived safety, social cohesion, and the availability of facilities on relative changes in body mass index and waist circumference changes, adjusted for corresponding neighborhood socioeconomic status scores.

Results

Higher total scores, indicating more unfavorable neighborhood perceptions, were associated with less relative improvements in BMI and waist circumference after 1.5 years (β = 3.2, 95%CI 0.3–6.0; β = 3.4, 95%CI 0.3–6.6, respectively). Also, more neighborhood unsafety was associated with less relative improvements in BMI and waist circumference on the long term (β = 3.1, 95%CI 1.1–5.1; β = 2.8, 95%CI 0.6–5.1, respectively).

Conclusion

The results indicate that living in a neighborhood perceived as less favorable may lower the chances of successful weight loss in response to combined lifestyle interventions in persons with obesity.