This research examines the associations between landscape spatial patterns of urban
forests, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and obesity (captured by body mass
index, BMI) among Hispanic children living in Houston's inner city neighborhoods.
One hundred 4th and 5th grade children and their mothers were recruited from
five elementary schools. Children's BMI values were calculated from objectively
measured height and weight. Children were surveyed about their environmental
perceptions, physical activity, and socio-demographic factors. In addition, both the
children and their mothers completed the PedsQL survey to measure the children's
HRQOL. Using high-resolution Digital Orthophoto Quarter Quadrangle (DOQQ) aerial
photo imagery, landscape spatial patterns of urban forests were measured by Geographic
Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing. FRAGSTATS was used to compute
various landscape indices for areas within a half-mile and a quarter-mile from each
child's home, using both airline and network distances.
Multiple regression models were used to predict the children's BMI and
HRQOL. Four groups of independent variables were examined: landscape indices,
socio-demographic variables, physical activity, and environmental perceptions and
satisfaction (factor variables). Separate models were estimated using the GIS variables
captured at different spatial extents including a half-mile and quarter-mile airline buffer,
and a half-mile and quarter-mile network buffer.
This research showed that several landscape indices were significantly
correlated with the children's BMI and HRQOL. Well-connected landscape spatial
patterns and more tree patches (disaggregated landscape patterns) in a half-mile airline
buffer from the subjects' homes were negatively associated with the children's BMI.
Less fragmented landscape spatial conditions and larger areas of urban forests and tree
patches showed positive associations with the children's HRQOL.
This research adds to the current multi-disciplinary area of research on
environment-health relationships, by investigating the roles of urban greeneries and
linking their spatial structure to children's obesity and quality of life.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:tamu.edu/oai:repository.tamu.edu:1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2010-05-7766 |
| Date | 2010 May 1900 |
| Creators | Kim, Jun Hyun |
| Contributors | Lee, Chanam, Ellis, Christopher D. |
| Source Sets | Texas A and M University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
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