Associations between the Neighborhood Social Environment and Obesity Among Adolescents: Do Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Sleep Play a Role?

This study examines: (1) the association between the neighborhood social environment and obesity among adolescents, (2) whether physical activity, screen time, and short sleep mediates this association, and (3) examine sex differences. Participants (n=12,692; age 11-19 years old) came from Waves I and II of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Neighborhood social disorganization and socioeconomic status (NSES) measures were associated with obesity adjusting for sex, race, age, parental education, and urbanicity. Screen time mediated NSES and obesity. Very short sleep duration (<6 hours) mediated social disorganization and obesity among females only. Findings suggest improving neighborhood social conditions may reduce the risk for obesity.