Environmental Factors & Obesity: Built Environment

Question 1

What is considered our living environment at Micro, Meso & Macro levels

Answer 1

micro: immediate surroundings (features & rooms in our living and workplace)
Meso: building block level (entire workplace or school)
macro: community design/urban planning

Question 2

what does our physical environment include? (3)

Answer 2

1. built environment
2. topography (mountains, hills, coast, forest)
3. weather/climate
   -may directly influence behavioural choices

Question 3

define built environment

Answer 3

buildings & spaces created/built by humans (ex) roads, homes, parks, rec centers, shops, street layout/transport systems, land use.

Question 4

define obesogenic factors

Answer 4

factors that promote weight gain or that are not conductive to weight loss within the built environment

Question 5

how does built environment impact our behavioural choices

Answer 5

our built enironment generally supports auto-dependency and convenience

Question 6

examples of built environment convienences (8)

Answer 6

1. elevators
2. escalators
3. moving sidewalks
4. motor vehicles (& their support system)
5. power tools
6. technology
7. social media
8. energy dense foods (inexpensive)

Question 7

barriers to active transport (7)

Answer 7

-weather
-lack of sidewalks/crosswalks
-boring/ugly surroundings
-culture efficiency
-percieved vulnerability
-paucity of amenities
-roads built for cars only

Question 8

what is included in neighbourhood walkability (5) and explain them

Answer 8

1. density- attributes of interest per geographic area
2. diversity- mix of land use & income (housing/parks/shops)
3. design- layout of the street grid
4. destination accessibility- availability of destinations to travel to such as stores, parks, public spaces.
5. distance to travel- physical distance to public transportation

Question 9

neighbourhoods that have high walkability have… (3)

Answer 9

1. high mixed land use
2. high residential density
3. high intersectionality/connectivity (few culdesacs/deadends, more grid layout)

Question 10

what have high walkability neighbourhoods been associated with?

Answer 10

lower body weights

Question 11

High walkability: design features (2)

Answer 11

-narrower streets and streets with marked pedestrian crossing (slow traffic)
-landscaping, sidewalks, parallel parking

Question 12

High walkability: Density

Answer 12

-increased density=less pollution
-people in compacted, well serviced areas are less likely to drive
-accessible to wider range to family types/incomes
-increased density offers lower income households important economic benefit by allowing them to not have a car

Question 13

How does design features promote walking

Answer 13

aesthetics & safety

Question 14

how does public transit impact built environment

Answer 14

good public transit service helps promote walking (achieve health benefits for low income people)

Question 15

components of supportive community infrastructure (8)

Answer 15

• urban design and municipal patterns
  -infrastructure for community mobility and active transportation
  -indoor/outdoor rec centers
  -roadways and transportation corridors
  -accessible and convienent trails and pathways
  -safety enhancements (safe street crossings)
  -security enhancements (removal of hiding places along pathways)
  -neighbourhood access to healthy food choices

Question 16

healthy active population includes… (3)

Answer 16

1. transportation (walking, biking infrastructure, land use planning)
2. health (low does physical activity)
3. environment (air pollution, green spaces, greenhouse gases)

Question 17

how does improving local food environment improve nutrition

Answer 17

-zoning to increase number of quality food retailers
-food policies for reducing high fat, high sugar in foods
-secure grocery stores as tenants in low income areas