Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2025
Advisor
Jeannette Manger
Abstract
Background: Obesity remains a leading public health issue in the United States, with 40.3% of adults classified as overweight, underscoring the need to understanding the environmental and social determinants of health1. The neighborhood food environment, including access to healthy food and recreational spaces in one's community, plays a critical role in shaping dietary behaviors and physical activity levels.
Objective: This study examines the relationship between neighborhood food environments including access to healthy food and exercise opportunities, socioeconomic factors, and health outcomes like obesity, and diabetes in Ohio from two-time points: 2016 to 2023 using data from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program. The study addresses key research questions related to indicators such as adult obesity rates, prevalence of diabetes, access to exercise opportunities, median household income, food insecurity, and physical health. Paired samples t-tests, Pearson correlation, and regression analyses were used to analyze the dynamics between these variables.
Results: Results revealed significant improvements in the Food Environment Index, a reduction in food insecurity, decrease in the prevalence of diabetes, and decreased access to exercise opportunities. However, obesity rates increased between 2016 and 2023, highlighting a worsening trend in obesity. Child poverty and the prevalence of diabetes are predictive of the variance in the food environment index. Median household income is predictive of access to exercise opportunities. Additionally, a moderate negative correlation was found between access to exercise opportunities and poor physical health days. These findings highlight the ongoing challenges in addressing obesity in Ohio, emphasizing the need for targeted policies to improve access to healthy food and exercise resources. While progress has been made in reducing food insecurity, socioeconomic factors continue to significantly influence health outcomes, pointing to the need for comprehensive policies that address both the built environment and underlying social determinants of health.
Repository Citation
Soni, A., & Victor, L. (2025). Access to Exercise Opportunities and Food Security: Mediators in the Prevalence of Chronic Diseases in Ohio. Wright State University. Dayton, Ohio.
