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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2007.127712v1 98/11/2065    most recent Submit a response Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Grafova, I. B. Articles by Rogowski, J. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Grafova, I. B. Articles by Rogowski, J. Related Collections Aging Obesity, Overweight, Underweight Housing and Health Other Environment

Irina B. Grafova, PhD, Vicki A. Freedman, PhD, Rizie Kumar, MA and Jeannette Rogowski, PhD

Irina B. Grafova, Vicki A. Freedman, Rizie Kumar, and Jeannette Rogowski are with the Department of Health Systems and Policy of the School of Public Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Brunswick.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Irina B. Grafova, Department of Health Systems and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, 683 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (e-mail: grafovib{at}umdnj.edu).

Objectives. We examined the influence of neighborhood environment on the weight status of adults 55 years and older.

Methods. We conducted a 2-level logistic regression analysis of data from the 2002 wave of the Health and Retirement Study. We included 8 neighborhood scales: economic advantage, economic disadvantage, air pollution, crime and segregation, street connectivity, density, immigrant concentration, and residential stability.

Results. When we controlled for individual- and family-level confounders, living in a neighborhood with a high level of economic advantage was associated with a lower likelihood of being obese for both men (odds ratio [OR] = 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.80, 0.94) and women (OR = 0.83; 95% CI = 0.77, 0.89). Men living in areas with a high concentration of immigrants and women living in areas of high residential stability were more likely to be obese. Women living in areas of high street connectivity were less likely to be overweight or obese.

Conclusions. The mechanisms by which neighborhood environment and weight status are linked in later life differ by gender, with economic and social environment aspects being important for men and built environment aspects being salient for women.