Neighborhood Social Cohesion and Obesity in the United States

Low neighborhood social cohesion (nSC) has been associated with obesity. Still, few studies have assessed the nSC-obesity relationship among a large, nationally representative, and racially/ethnically diverse sample of the United States population. To address this literature gap, we examined cross-sectional associations among 154,480 adult participants of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) from 2013-2018. We also determined if associations varied by race/ethnicity, sex/gender, age, annual household income, and food security status. Based on a 4-item scale from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods Community Survey, we categorized nSC as low, medium, and high. Based on body mass index (BMI) recommendations, we categorized obesity as ≥30 kg/m². We used Poisson regression with robust variance to directly estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) while adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, such as annual household income, educational attainment, and marital status, along with other confounders. Study participants' mean age ± standard error was 47.1±0.1 years; most (69.2%) self-identified as Non-Hispanic (NH)-White, and 51.0% were women. NH-Black and Hispanic/Latinx adults comprised more of the population in neighborhoods with low nSC (14.0% NH-Black, 19.1% Hispanic/Latinx, and 61.8% NH-White) versus high nSC (7.7% NH-Black, 10.4% Hispanic/Latinx and 77.0% NH-White). Low vs. high nSC was associated with a 15% higher prevalence of obesity (PR=1.15 [95% CI: 1.12-1.18]), and the magnitude of the association was more substantial among NH-White (PR=1.21 [95% CI: 1.17-1.25]) compared to associations among Hispanic/Latinx (PR=1.04 [95% CI: 0.97-1.11]) and NH-Black (PR=1.01 [95% CI: 0.95-1.07]) adults. Low vs. high nSC was associated with a 20% higher prevalence of obesity in women (PR=1.20 [95% CI: 1.16-1.24]) compared to a 10% higher prevalence in men (PR=1.10 [95% CI: 1.06-1.14]). Low vs. high nSC was associated with a 19% higher prevalence of obesity among adults ≥50 years old (PR=1.19 [95% CI: 1.15-1.23]) compared to a 7% higher prevalence of obesity among adults <50 years old (PR=1.07 [95% CI: 1.03-1.11]). Efforts to address nSC may improve health and address health disparities.

590 Neighborhood Safety and Sleep During Childhood

Introduction

Neighborhood safety has been associated with sleep health among adults; however, few studies have investigated its association with sleep characteristics during childhood.

Methods

Using data from 1,693 Black/African-American women enrolled in the Study of Environment, Lifestyle and Fibroids from 2010 to 2012, we investigated associations between neighborhood safety and sleep at age 5 years. Participants, aged 23–35 years, reported childhood neighborhood safety (unsafe, somewhat safe, very safe) and light sleep (yes/no). Participants, with assistance from their mothers or others, provided information on participants’ frequency of good sleep hygiene as a child (i.e., to bed by 8 p.m. in a quiet, dark room) as always/most of the time, sometimes, or rarely/never. Adjusting for relative childhood household income and both mother’s and father’s age at participant’s birth, we used Poisson regression with robust variance to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to compare sleep characteristics for participants who reported unsafe vs. very safe neighborhoods.

Results

While 20% of participants reported living in an unsafe neighborhood, 41% reported a somewhat safe neighborhood and 39% reported a very safe neighborhood at age 5 years. The unadjusted prevalence of always/most of the time going to bed by 8 p.m. in a quiet, dark room was highest among participants who reported very safe neighborhoods. After adjustment, participants in unsafe neighborhoods were substantially more likely than those in very safe neighborhoods to only sometimes (vs. always/most of the time) go to bed: by 8 p.m. (PR=1.57 [95% CI:1.21–2.03]), in a quiet room (PR=2.11 [1.43–3.11]), and in dark room (PR=1.44 [1.09–1.90]). Patterns were similar for frequencies of rarely/never and often practicing good sleep hygiene. Light sleep was not associated with neighborhood safety.

Conclusion

Perceived neighborhood safety was associated with multiple sleep dimensions in childhood.

Support (if any):

Effective Strategies to Influence Performance of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder Within Inclusive Classrooms

Date Presented 3/30/2017

A thematic synthesis of 59 articles on effective strategies found to influence performance of students with autism spectrum disorder revealed five themes, including disruptive behaviors, inclusion strategies, social interaction, video modeling, and teacher training.

Primary Author and Speaker: Beth Ann Walker

Additional Authors and Speakers: Addisson Ficklin, Heather Alexander, Lauren Gullett, Lauren Myers, Jennifer Lewis