Built environment, physical activity, and obesity of adults in Pingshan District, Shenzhen City in Southern China.

BACKGROUND: The relation between neighbourhood built environment and obesity has been described as both nuanced and complex. AIM: The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between the built environment, physical activity, and obesity in a rapidly urbanised area of China. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the socio-demographic variables, physical activity levels and BMI status. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the association between neighbourhood environment, the likelihood of engaging in different types of physical activity, and BMI. RESULTS: A total of 842 respondents completed the questionnaires and were included (84.1% response rate). Among them, 56.4% reported meeting high physical activity levels, while 40.7% were overweight or obese. Multivariable regression analysis showed that better road conditions (ß = 0.122, t = 2.999, p = 0.003) and access to physical activity facilities (ß = 0.121, t = 3.193, p = 0.001) were significantly associated with higher levels of physical activity. Physical activity levels were inversely associated with the likelihood of being overweight (OR = 0.565, 95%CI: 0.3 4 9-0.917) or obese (OR = 0.614, 95%CI: 0.3 9 0-0.966). CONCLUSION: The built environment has an important impact on physical activity. However, the direct impact of leisure physical activity on BMI is not significant. This research provides a summary of recent evidence in Pingshan District on built environments that are most favourable for physical activity and obesity.

Acute Effects of Air Pollution on Ischemic Heart Disease Hospitalizations: A Population-Based Time-Series Study in Wuhan, China, 2017-2018.

Evidence of the acute effects of air pollutants on ischemic heart disease (IHD) hospitalizations based on the entire population of a megacity in central China is lacking. All IHD hospitalization records from 2017 to 2018 were obtained from the Wuhan Information Center of Health and Family Planning. Daily air pollutant concentrations and meteorological data were synchronously collected from the Wuhan Environmental Protection Bureau. A time-series study using generalized additive models was conducted to systematically examine the associations between air pollutants and IHD hospitalizations. Stratified analyses by gender, age, season, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia were performed. In total, 139,616 IHD hospitalizations were included. Short-term exposure to air pollutants was positively associated with IHD hospitalizations. The age group ≥76 was at higher exposure risk, and the associations appeared to be more evident in cold seasons. PM2.5 and PM10 appeared to have greater effects on males and those without hypertension or diabetes, whereas NO2 and SO2 had greater effects on females and those with hypertension or diabetes. The risk of IHD hospitalization due to air pollutants was greater in people without hyperlipidemia. Our study provides new evidence of the effects of air pollution on the increased incidence of IHD in central China.

Physical Activity, Obesity, and Hypertension among Adults in a Rapidly Urbanised City.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have explored the relationship between the level of physical activity and the occurrence or prevalence of obesity and hypertension among people residing in urbanised areas. METHOD: A cross-sectional study involving a sample of 1,001 adults was conducted. Descriptive statistics were used to describe sociodemographic variables, physical activity levels, body mass index (BMI), and prevalence of hypertension. Logistic regression models were adopted to investigate the relationship between these factors. RESULTS: A total of 939 respondents who provided valid responses were included. Among them, 56.5% of the participants reported engaging in high levels of physical activity. However, 40.4% of the respondents were classified as overweight or obese, and 31.9% had diagnosed hypertension. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, logistic regression analysis revealed that physical activity levels were negatively correlated with the prevalence of BMI (OR = 0.564, 95% CI: 0.352-0.905; OR = 0.583, 95% CI: 0.375-0.907) and hypertension (OR = 0.556, 95% CI: 0.348-0.888). CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms recent evidence regarding the amount of physical activity that is associated with lower prevalence of obesity and hypertension in Pingshan District. Furthermore, different physical activities of various intensity levels had different effects on hypertension. Residents should be encouraged to engage in physical activities and maintain a healthy weight to improve their quality of life.