Urban built environments, nutrition, physical activity and obesity

Globally, the sharp rise in the rates of obesity among both children and adults is a significant public
health concern. The increasing global prevalence of obesity has led to what has been termed the
‘obesity epidemic’. At a fundamental level, obesity arises from an imbalance between the quantity
of energy consumed and the amount expended (the energy balance equation). It is suspected that
the rising epidemic reflects profound changes in society over the past two to three decades that have
been accompanied by rapid and widespread changes to the environment. These environmental
modifications have created a climate that is conducive to increased energy consumption and
reduced energy expenditure at a population-level. Therefore, to understand the worldwide rise in
obesity prevalence it is necessary to consider a whole host of environmental factors. The aim of
this study will be to consider the influence of a range of environmental factors at different
geographical scales (from the global to local) in influencing obesity.