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Study Suggests Neighborhood Can Impact Diabetes Risk
A study published in a recent issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that living in a neighborhood with ample access to fresh fruits, vegetables and other low-fat foods, and opportunities for exercise can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, MedPage Today reports. To assess how neighborhood environment impacts diabetes risk, a team led by a Drexel University researcher analyzed data on nearly 2,300 participants at three sites involved in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), including the the Bronx, Baltimore and Forsyth County, N.C., which includes Winston-Salem. Health and sociodemographic data were collected, along with participants’ descriptions of their diet and exercise routines. After three years, 10 percent of study participants developed type 2 diabetes. Among the one-third of participants living in the healthiest neighborhoods, only 7 percent developed diabetes, compared to 13 percent of participants living in the least healthy neighborhoods. The researchers note that the reduction in risk was equivalent to a five-point decrease in body mass index score. Researchers called the strength of the association between neighborhoods and diabetes risk “considerable,” asserting that “altering our environments so that healthier behaviors and lifestyles can be easily chosen may be one of the key steps in arresting and reversing these epidemics” (Gever, MedPage Today, 10/12/09; Auchincloss et al., Archives of Internal Medicine, 10/12/09 [subscription required]).