Perceived neighborhood assets and anthropometric indicators in schoolchildren living in high-risk urban areas

This study examined the association between perceived neighborhood assets and anthropometric markers in schoolchildren living in urban areas at high social risk, comparing findings for arm span with those observed for body mass index (BMI). A cross-sectional study was conducted with 164 schoolchildr...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Castro Lemus, Nuria, Mendoza Lobo, Karen Lizeth, Coll Costa, Jorge de Lázaro, Márquez López, Esperanza
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Sevilla (US)
Repositorio:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:idus________::a77398273551624cc9f7534ee63a5259
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/11441/186610
https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-0037.2026v28e111351
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Anthropometry
Child
Growth
Social capital
Urban population
Antropometria
Criança
Crescimento
Capital social
População urbana
Descripción
Sumario:This study examined the association between perceived neighborhood assets and anthropometric markers in schoolchildren living in urban areas at high social risk, comparing findings for arm span with those observed for body mass index (BMI). A cross-sectional study was conducted with 164 schoolchildren (82 girls and 82 boys; aged 6-15 years) from Tegucigalpa, Honduras. An adapted neighborhood assets scale was administered, and its internal structure was evaluated through exploratory factor analysis. The association between perceived community capital and arm span was estimated using hierarchical linear regression while adjusting for age and sex. BMI was examined as a comparative weight-related indicator. Factor analysis identified a three-factor structure with high internal consistency (α = 0.837-0.943). Sex comparisons showed no differences in age, BMI, or arm span, although community capital scores were higher among girls (p = 0.035). In the adjusted model, community capital was positively associated with arm span (β = 0.155; p = 0.004), increasing the explained variance by 2.2%. No significant associations were observed between community capital and BMI. These findings suggest that among schoolchildren living in socially adverse urban contexts, perceived community capital may be associated with a structural marker of physical growth but not with a weight-related indicator. Longitudinal studies are required to clarify the temporal nature and direction of these associations