Neighborhood Walkability Index and Its Association With Indices of Childhood Obesity in Bengaluru, Karnataka

ABSTRACT

Background: The prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing in low-middle income countries like India. Built environment features such as walkability can influence weight-related outcomes but data from developing countries are scanty. Objective: To develop population level walkability index in urban Bengaluru, and examine its association with indices of childhood obesity in school children. Study Design: Nested cross-sectional study based on a cohort. Participants: Normal healthy children aged 6 to 15 years from urban schools in Bengaluru. The children were stratified into different land use classification such as residential, commercial and open space based on residential address. Methods: Anthropometric data, body composition data, measured using air displacement plethysmography. Outcomes: Walkability index derived using residential density, street connectivity and land-use mix environment variables. Results: The mean (SD) of age, body mass index (BMI), BMI zscore and percentage body fat (% Body fat) of 292 (50% boys) children were 10.8 (2.9) year, 17.4 (3.3) kg/m2, -0.27 (1.35) and 20.9% (8.8), respectively. The mean (SD) walkability index was 16.5, which was negatively associated with BMI (slope -0.25 and -0.08) and percentage body fat (slope -0.47 and -0.21) for age 5 and 10 years, respectively in children, but the effects decreased with increasing age. Conclusions: The findings of this pilot study suggest that the neighborhood walkability may be associated with the obesity indices in younger children. Future longitudinal studies are needed to understand how built environment affects health and body composition of children in India and other low-middle income countries.