When we think of the things that promote weight loss, eating healthy and exercising are two main factors that come to mind. But according to preliminary Dutch research, neighborhood safety may also play a role in how much you weigh.
The study identifies four dimensions of neighborhood safety as follows:
- Not being afraid of crime and harassment when you walk through the streets
- Feeling safe when walking or cycling in or around traffic
- Adequate street lighting
- An absence of threatening-looking youths loitering in the area
The research did not find an association between weight and a lack of access to grocery stores and sports facilities which may plague low-income areas typically considered unsafe.
It also did not link neighborhood characteristics with the success of interventions like diet and exercise programs.
The Study
The study involved 122 individuals living with obesity and looked at past research on weight loss with treatments including exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy, and dietary advice.
Before the study began, participants were asked to take a survey rating how secure they felt in their neighborhoods. Their height, weight, and waist circumference were measured at the beginning of the study, 10 weeks into the study, and after 1.5 years.
Results showed that people who ranked for high neighborhood safety experienced greater decreases in weight and waist circumference.
Every one-point increase in the neighborhood safety score led to an average decrease of 3.2% in weight and an average 2.6% decrease in waist circumference.
Social cohesion factored into neighborhood ratings. One point on the social cohesion scale led to a 1.3% decrease in waist circumference.
Study leader Boelle Brouwer of the University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands notes, “It is known that social cohesion can provide social support and motivation to participants. Feeling connected to and supported by people in your surroundings can increase adherence to healthy behaviors and improve overall outcomes of lifestyle interventions.”
While no associations were found between weight loss and access to grocery stores and sports facilities, a link was established between weight loss and neighborhood attractiveness in terms of sex, age, and education level.
The preliminary research is promising, but scientists acknowledge more studies are needed before conclusions can be drawn.
“We need more research to determine how neighborhood safety may affect weight and waist circumferences and if feelings of safety are linked to other factors such as housing, stress, or poverty,” said Brouwer.
Study co-author Professor Elisabeth van Rossum who is also from the University Medical Center Rotterdam weighed in saying, “If it turns out these environmental and social factors indeed are drivers of the success of a guided lifestyle intervention, then we need to study to what extent this also applied to individuals who try to lose weight by themselves.”
How do you think your neighborhood safety affects your weight loss goals?
