Table 1.
Characteristics of the study population (n = 5,199) and descriptive information regarding the physical and social environment in neighbourhoods
| Sociodemographic characteristics | n | Mean (SD) or percentages |
|---|---|---|
| Age in years | 5,149 | 52.2 (16.3) |
| Sex (% female) | 5,148 | 55.3 |
| Educational level (% higher) | 4,703 | 54.1 |
| Length of residency (10 years or more) | 4,994 | 65.0 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 4,614 | 25.2 (4.5) |
| Overweight status (% BMI ≥25.0) | 4,614 | 45.3 |
| Physical neighbourhood factors (range) | ||
| Neighbourhood-level RAD (% high) | 5,199 | 49.6 |
| Presence of recreational facilities*, 1 (3–7) | 5,199 | 4.8 (1.1) |
| Features of the active transportation environment*, 1 (7–19) | 5,199 | 12.6 (2.8) |
| Neighbourhood aesthetics*, 1 (6–17) | 5,199 | 11.5 (2.4) |
| mRFEI (0–100) | 4,942 | 43.2 (24.4) |
| Social neighbourhood factors | ||
| Social network construct*, 2 | 4,790 | 10.4 (3.7) |
| First tertile (social network score <9) | 1,545 | 32.3 |
| Second tertile (social network score ≥9 and ≤12) | 1,837 | 38.4 |
| Third tertile (social network score >12) | 1,408 | 29.4 |
| Social cohesion construct*, 2 | 4,758 | 17.4 (3.6) |
| First tertile (social cohesion score <16) | 1,284 | 27.0 |
| Second tertile (social cohesion score ≥16 and ≤19) | 2,067 | 43.4 |
| Third tertile (social cohesion score >19) | 1,407 | 29.6 |
| Social trust*, 2 | 4,891 | 3.5 (0.9) |
| Strongly disagree | 204 | 4.2 |
| Disagree | 342 | 7.0 |
| Neither agree or disagree | 1,591 | 32.5 |
| Agree | 2,299 | 47.0 |
| Strongly agree | 455 | 9.3 |
| Neighbourhood SES (% high) | 5,199 | 50.4 |
| Perceived crime*, 2 | 4,819 | 3.4 (1.1) |
| Strongly disagree | 664 | 13.8 |
| Disagree | 1,712 | 35.5 |
| Neither agree or disagree | 1,544 | 32.0 |
| Agree | 581 | 12.1 |
| Strongly agree | 318 | 6.6 |
*
Individual sum scores.
1
Higher scores indicate a more activity-friendly neighbourhood.
2
Higher scores indicate more social networks, or higher social trust, or social cohesion, or perceived crime. BMI, body mass index measured in kg/m2; RAD, residential area density; mRFEI, modified retail food environment index calculated by dividing the number of healthy food outlets by the total number of healthy and unhealthy food outlets and multiplying this by 100; SES, socio-economic status.