The Toxic Food Environment Around Elementary Schools and Childhood Obesity in Mexican Cities

Introduction The childhood obesity epidemic is a global concern. There is limited evidence in Mexico linking the local food environment to obesity. The purpose of this study is to describe the links between the local food environment around elementary schools and schoolchildren’s BMI in two Mexican...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of preventive medicine 2016-08, Vol.51 (2), p.264-270
Main Authors: Barrera, Lucia Hernandez, MS, Rothenberg, Stephen J., PhD, Barquera, Simon, MD, MSc, PhD, Cifuentes, Enrique, MD, MSc, PhD
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Body Mass Index
Child
Cities
Cross-Sectional Studies
Environment
Fast Foods - supply & distribution
Female
Food Services - utilization
Humans
Internal Medicine
Male
Mexico - epidemiology
Pediatric Obesity - epidemiology
Schools
Socioeconomic Factors
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Summary:Introduction The childhood obesity epidemic is a global concern. There is limited evidence in Mexico linking the local food environment to obesity. The purpose of this study is to describe the links between the local food environment around elementary schools and schoolchildren’s BMI in two Mexican cities. Methods Cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 60 elementary schools in two Mexican cities (i.e., Cuernavaca and Guadalajara) in 2012–2013. Anthropometric measurements on schoolchildren were collected, as well as environmental direct audits and observations in a 100-m buffer around schools. Children’s BMI was evaluated according to WHO-recommended procedures. In BMI models, the explanatory variable was the number of retail food sources. These models were adjusted for child’s characteristics, schools’ socioeconomic background, compliance with federal guidelines concerning unhealthy foods within schools’ facilities, and corresponding city. Analysis was conducted in 2014. Results The number of mobile food vendors was higher around public schools than outside private schools ( p
ISSN:0749-3797
1873-2607
DOI:10.1016/j.amepre.2016.02.021