Neighborhood Playgrounds, Fast Food Restaurants, and Crime

This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between obesity in preschool children and three environmental factors-the proximity of their residences to playgrounds and to fast food restaurants and the safety of their neighborhoods. The study subjects were 7,020 low-income children, 36 to 59 months of age living in Cincinnati, OH. Obesity was defined as a measured body mass index ( 95th percentile. The distance between each child's residence and the nearest public playground and fast food restaurant was determined with geographic information systems. Neighborhood safety was defined by the number of police-reported crimes per 1000 residents per year in each of 46 city neighborhoods. 9.2% of the children were obese, 76% black, and 23% white. There was no association between child obesity and proximity to playgrounds, proximity to fast food restaurants, or level of neighborhood crime. The association between child obesity and playground proximity did not differ by neighborhood crime level.