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Research article
Characterising urban green space density and footpath-accessibility in models of BMI
Sean Lyons
Economic and Social Research Institute
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3526-6947
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
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 1600m 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.
Keywords
body mass index, urban green space, footpaths, older adults, Ireland
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Received 30 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 13 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 10 Jan, 2020
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Received 07 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
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Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 29 Dec, 2019
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On 22 Dec, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 21 Dec, 2019
Editor invited
On 21 Dec, 2019
No comments provided
Review #2 received
Received 15 Oct, 2019
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 15 Oct, 2019
Review #3 received
Received 09 Oct, 2019
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 07 Oct, 2019
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 24 Sep, 2019
Review #1 received
Received 23 Sep, 2019
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 19 Sep, 2019
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 17 Sep, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 13 Sep, 2019
Editor assigned
On 11 Sep, 2019
Editor invited
On 10 Sep, 2019
First submitted
On 09 Sep, 2019
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This preprint is under consideration at BMC Public Health. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Characterising urban green space density and footpath-accessibility in models of BMI
Sean Lyons
Economic and Social Research Institute
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3526-6947
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 4
Posted 17 May, 2020
No community comments so far
Submission checks complete
On 13 Sep, 2019
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 28 Apr, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 21 Apr, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 18 Apr, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 16 Apr, 2020
Editor assigned
On 14 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 13 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 13 Apr, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 12 Feb, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 30 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 13 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 10 Jan, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 07 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 02 Jan, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 29 Dec, 2019
Editor assigned
On 22 Dec, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 21 Dec, 2019
Editor invited
On 21 Dec, 2019
No comments provided
Review #2 received
Received 15 Oct, 2019
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 15 Oct, 2019
Review #3 received
Received 09 Oct, 2019
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 07 Oct, 2019
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 24 Sep, 2019
Review #1 received
Received 23 Sep, 2019
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 19 Sep, 2019
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 17 Sep, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 13 Sep, 2019
Editor assigned
On 11 Sep, 2019
Editor invited
On 10 Sep, 2019
First submitted
On 09 Sep, 2019
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Health Policy
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
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 1600m 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.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4