The neighborhood environment, physical activity and obesity

The increased prevalence of sedentariness and obesity is a growing concern in public health. However, the factors driving the rise in levels of sedentariness and obesity are not fully understood yet. As individual factors cannot fully explain the rapid increase over a relatively short period of time, there is growing recognition that the environment in which individual behavioral decisions are made plays an important role as well. Environments can be obesogenic by encouraging the consumption of energy dense food or discouraging physical activity or both. Using the analysis grid for environments linked to obesity (ANGELO) framework, this article discusses how different economic, physical, sociocultural, and policy aspects of the neighborhood environment are linked with physical activity and obesity. It is concluded that the literature on environmental influences on physical activity and obesity is still at an early stage of development. Most studies conducted to date lack a clear theoretical framework and have almost exclusively relied on cross-sectional research methods. As a result, substantial scientific uncertainty remains regarding causal relationships and the mechanisms by which environmental components operate