Neighborhood and built environments have health impacts for the people who live there. Aspects
of neighborhood environments include walkability, land use mix and urbanity, retail, recreational
areas, restaurants, fast food outlets, cultural and education institutions, and pollution, such
as from traffic or waste sites.
Overview
HealthyPeople2020 classifies neighborhood and built environment
factors into these four
categories:
Access to Healthy Foods
Quality of Housing
Crime and Violence
Environmental Conditions
Why It's Important
A neighborhood's built environment can have an influence on residents' health. For example,
The more grocery stores in close proximity to where people live, the lower their
blood pressure and body mass index tended to be. A fast food outlet in close proximity to
where people live was linked to higher body mass
index.
Neighborhood walkability was associated with physical activity and
obesity.
Neighborhood presence of hazardous waste facilities enhanced negative effects of
stress.
Neighborhoods with more older homes have a higher risk of childhood lead exposure.
