Background:
In England, obesity is more common in some ethnic minority groups than in Whites. Thisstudy examines the relationship between ethnic concentration and access to fast food outlets,supermarkets and physical activity facilities.
Methods:
Data on ethnic concentration, fast food outlets, supermarkets and physical activity facilitieswere obtained at the lower super output area (LSOA) (population average of 1500). Poissonmultilevel modelling was used to examine the association between own ethnic concentrationand facilities, adjusted for area deprivation, urbanicity, population size and clustering ofLSOAs within local authority areas.
Results:
There was a higher proportion of ethnic minorities residing in areas classified as mostdeprived. Fast food outlets and supermarkets were more common and outdoor physicalactivity facilities were less common in most than least deprived areas. A gradient was not observed for the relationship between indoor physical activity facilities and area deprivationquintiles. In contrast to White British, increasing ethnic minority concentration wasassociated with increasing rates of fast food outlets. Rate ratios comparing rates of fast foodoutlets in high with those in low level of ethnic concentration ranged between 1.28, 95%confidence interval 1.06-1.55 (Bangladeshi) and 2.62, 1.46-4.70 (Chinese). Similar to WhiteBritish, however, increasing ethnic minority concentration was associated with increasingrate of supermarkets and indoor physical activity facilities. Outdoor physical activity facilitieswere less likely to be in high than low ethnic concentration areas for some minority groups.
Conclusions:
Overall, ethnic minority concentration was associated with a mixture of both advantages anddisadvantages in the provision of food outlets and physical activity facilities. These issuesmight contribute to ethnic differences in food choices and engagement in physical activity.