Quality of urban green spaces and nutritional status: an epidemiological study in an urban context using Street View technology

JULIA MARIEL WIRTZ BAKER; ABALLAY, LAURA ROSANA; SANDRA CASTAÑO; MARIA CAMILA ORELLANO; NARARENA RODRIGUEZ; STEFANO STAURINI; SONIA ALEJANDRA POU

Kaohsiung

Conferencia; International Society for Environmental Epidemiology; 2023

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Urban green spaces (UGS) can be a valuable resource for improving human health. The quality of UGS as determinant of population health have been a topic scarcely explored. We aim to assess the association between obesity status and the proximity and quality of UGS by using Google Street View (GSV) images.METHOD: A population-based study called Córdoba Obesity and Diet Study II (multistage-random sampling; n=1328 adults from Córdoba, Argentina) was carried out (2019-2022 period), collecting anthropometric measurements, lifestyles and socio-demographic data. Indicators of proximity (500m buffer) of dwellings to large UGS (>1ha) were constructed using QGIS 3.28. GSV was used to remotely visualise eight quality dimensions (surroundings, access, facilities, amenities, aesthetics, safety, potential usage, land cover), adapted from the RECITAL green space quality assessment tool. Items were scored with a five-point Likert scale for each UGS; mean scores within each buffer were calculated. The association of obesity status with the presence of UGS within the buffer (total sample: n=1328), and with overall/partial quality scores of UGS (sub-sample: n=636 subjects living near a UGS) was assessed by using adjusted logistic regression models.RESULTS: Obesity status (25.9% of sample) was not associated with the proximity (500m buffer) of large UGS. However, a trend towards an inverse association was observed with the mean quality score of UGS (OR=0.6; p=0.11) in the sub-sample who had at least one UGS near their home (47.9%). Two quality dimensions of UGS showed significant inverse associations: aesthetics (OR=0.6; p=0.03), and amenities (OR=0.6; p=0.02), both related to the beauty and attractiveness of spaces, and to features that make them more comfortable and enjoyable.CONCLUSIONS: In our urban context, proximity to UGS is not associated with obesity, but certain dimensions of quality may be a protective factor. Digital tools such as GSV are useful resources for further exploration of this topic. Grants FONCYT-PICT-2020-A-03283.