Diabetes Rates Fall in Neighborhoods With Healthy Food, Parks and Gyms
Diabetes Rates Fall in Neighborhoods With Healthy Food, Parks and Gyms
Study suggests making these resources easily accessible, affordable might cut odds of disease
Nancy Adler, a professor of medical psychology and director of the Center for Health and Community at the University of California, San Francisco, said that although dealing with the medical aspects of type 2 diabetes is important, social and behavioral conditions play a much greater role in determining who will become ill.
"People's ability to engage in behaviors that will reduce their risk of diabetes is limited by their personal resources, like income, as well as by the resources available in their neighborhoods," said Adler, who's also the co-author of an accompanying editorial in the journal.
Even in neighborhoods where resources are available, people have to have the ability to take advantage of them, Adler said.
"It is not enough simply to expand resources, such as food markets in neighborhoods, without understanding and addressing the barriers individuals may face in using them," she said.
Christine believes that changing neighborhoods can help lead to healthier residents. "Modifying neighborhoods in ways that promote healthier behavior, in particular ensuring the availability of physical activity resources, may help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes," he said.
This, he admitted, is not an easy task. Communities would need to think about the health of their residents when making zoning decisions, he explained. "I am not sure this is always done," Christine said.
Still, he added, "We should be thinking about neighborhoods for potential public health action to aid in the prevention of type 2 diabetes."
Although the study found an association between type 2 diabetes rates and access to healthy food and safe exercise, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
Healthy Food, Parks, Gyms Lower Diabetes Rates
Study suggests making these resources easily accessible, affordable might cut odds of disease
Nancy Adler, a professor of medical psychology and director of the Center for Health and Community at the University of California, San Francisco, said that although dealing with the medical aspects of type 2 diabetes is important, social and behavioral conditions play a much greater role in determining who will become ill.
"People's ability to engage in behaviors that will reduce their risk of diabetes is limited by their personal resources, like income, as well as by the resources available in their neighborhoods," said Adler, who's also the co-author of an accompanying editorial in the journal.
Even in neighborhoods where resources are available, people have to have the ability to take advantage of them, Adler said.
"It is not enough simply to expand resources, such as food markets in neighborhoods, without understanding and addressing the barriers individuals may face in using them," she said.
Christine believes that changing neighborhoods can help lead to healthier residents. "Modifying neighborhoods in ways that promote healthier behavior, in particular ensuring the availability of physical activity resources, may help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes," he said.
This, he admitted, is not an easy task. Communities would need to think about the health of their residents when making zoning decisions, he explained. "I am not sure this is always done," Christine said.
Still, he added, "We should be thinking about neighborhoods for potential public health action to aid in the prevention of type 2 diabetes."
Although the study found an association between type 2 diabetes rates and access to healthy food and safe exercise, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
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