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Urban environments can increase risk for development of obesity, insulin resistance (IR), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by limiting physical activity. This study examined, in a cohort of urban Hispanic youth, the relationship between daily physical activity (PA) measured by GPS, insulin resistance and cardiovascular fitness. The researchers found that moderate and vigorous physical activity was extremely low in the youth they surveyed, possibly contributing to insulin resistance and obesity.
The data from this study suggest that children in urban settings confront physical, cultural, and attitudinal barriers that severely limit physical activity. The urban built environment near the school in this study (i.e. high crime area abutting a major highway) could markedly impede children’s unstructured activity (play). GPS data demonstrated that children were driven for almost all trips to and from school, that they moved little during the school day, and that they spent very little time moving in outdoor recreational facilities such as public parks after school. There is a great need to create community settings that encourage physical activity, especially in urban Hispanic neighborhoods.
Full Article from the International Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology
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