> Sociodemographic Measures
> Driver license data provide individual-level age and gender. Additional block-group census variables include neighborhood racial/ethnic composition (the proportion of the block group that is Hispanic, African American, Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander, and Asian); median family income; and the median age of individuals in the block group.
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> Our conclusions are tempered by several study limitations. First, self-reported BMI was used, which can underestimate true BMI. Second, few individual measures were available, thus excluding other potential controls (e.g., number of years in the neighborhood, individual racial/ethnic status, commute distance). Third, the sample is based on one (albeit large) county. Finally, because the analysis is cross-sectional, it is possible that those who value healthy weight may move to walkable neighborhoods. One study of longitudinal data on adolescent BMI demonstrates that cross-sectional relationships similar to those found in the present study did not translate into longitudinal ones.45 Accordingly, future work should assess potential selection effects using longitudinal data on adults.
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From the article
> Sociodemographic Measures > Driver license data provide individual-level age and gender. Additional block-group census variables include neighborhood racial/ethnic composition (the proportion of the block group that is Hispanic, African American, Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander, and Asian); median family income; and the median age of individuals in the block group.
....
> Our conclusions are tempered by several study limitations. First, self-reported BMI was used, which can underestimate true BMI. Second, few individual measures were available, thus excluding other potential controls (e.g., number of years in the neighborhood, individual racial/ethnic status, commute distance). Third, the sample is based on one (albeit large) county. Finally, because the analysis is cross-sectional, it is possible that those who value healthy weight may move to walkable neighborhoods. One study of longitudinal data on adolescent BMI demonstrates that cross-sectional relationships similar to those found in the present study did not translate into longitudinal ones.45 Accordingly, future work should assess potential selection effects using longitudinal data on adults.
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