Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Omar Al-Mukhtar, Al-Bayda Campus, Labraq Road, Al-Bayda B1L12, Libya.
Institute for Health Research, University of Bedfordshire, Putteridge Bury Campus, Hitchin Road, Luton LU2 8LE, UK.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Feb 9;15(2):301. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15020301.
: There is a lack of research pertaining to the links between built environment attributes and obesity in adults in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. In the Libyan context, no previous studies have been conducted to investigate this relationship. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine associations between perceived neighbourhood built environmental attributes and obesity among Libyan men and women. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was also assessed. A cross-sectional study design was used for the population-based survey in Benghazi, Libya. A multi-stage cluster sampling technique was used to select Libyan adults from the Benghazi electoral register. The Physical Activity Neighbourhood Environment Scale (PANES) was used to measure participants' perception of neighbourhood environmental factors. Using the Tanita BC-601 Segmental Body Composition Monitor and a portable stadiometer, anthropometric measurements were taken at a mutually agreeable place by qualified nurses. : Four hundred and one Libyan adults were recruited (78% response rate). Participants were aged 20-65 years, 63% were female, and all had lived in Benghazi for over 10 years. The prevalence of obesity and overweight was 42.4% and 32.9% respectively. A significant association was found between BMI and 6 neighbourhood environment attributes, specifically: street connectivity, unsafe environment and committing crimes at night, and neighbourhood aesthetics. For men only, these were: access to public transport, access to recreational facilities, and unsafe environment and committing crimes during the day. The attribute 'residential density zones' was only significant for women. : The study suggests that Libyan people are at risk of living in neighbourhoods with unsupportive environmental features of physical activity, which are likely to promote obesity of both genders. The findings of this study could inform Libyan health policies about interventions in the obesogenic environments that might slow the obesity epidemic and contain the public health crisis. This study suggests that further research is needed, within the Libyan context, to explore the impact of the neighbourhood environment attributes on contributing to increased obesity.
在东地中海地区，有关成年人的建筑环境属性与肥胖之间的联系的研究还很缺乏。在利比亚的情况下，以前没有进行过研究来调查这种关系。因此，本研究旨在检查利比亚男性和女性对感知邻里建筑环境属性与肥胖之间的关系。还评估了超重和肥胖的流行率。 本研究采用基于人群的横断面研究设计，在利比亚班加西进行。使用多阶段聚类抽样技术从班加西选举登记处中选择利比亚成年人。使用身体活动邻里环境量表（PANES）来衡量参与者对邻里环境因素的感知。使用 Tanita BC-601 分段身体成分监测仪和便携式测高仪，由合格的护士在双方同意的地方进行人体测量。 共招募了 401 名利比亚成年人（响应率为 78％）。参与者年龄在 20-65 岁之间，63％为女性，所有人都在班加西居住了 10 年以上。肥胖和超重的患病率分别为 42.4％和 32.9％。BMI 与 6 个邻里环境属性之间存在显著关联，具体是：街道连通性、不安全的环境和夜间犯罪，以及邻里美学。仅对男性而言，这些是：公共交通的便利性、娱乐设施的便利性、白天不安全的环境和犯罪。属性“住宅密度区”仅对女性有意义。 该研究表明，利比亚人面临生活在缺乏身体活动支持环境特征的邻里环境中的风险，这可能会促进两性肥胖。本研究的结果可以为利比亚卫生政策提供信息，以了解干预肥胖环境的措施，这可能会减缓肥胖流行，并遏制公共卫生危机。本研究表明，在利比亚的背景下，需要进一步研究邻里环境属性对肥胖增加的影响。
