Suchergebnisse

The Green Pistachio of Bronte is an Italian protected designation of origin (PDO) product that was officially recognized by the European Union in 2010. These pistachios are grown on Mt Etna's western slope in a specific area of thin volcanic soils and rugged terrain that inhibits the use of mechanized agriculture. Bronte pistachios are known for their distinct flavor, bright green color, and unique organoleptic properties that are intimately linked to their place of origin. They are highly prized in the food industry and can sell for more than double the price of other pistachios on the global market. Mapping landscapes that give rise to specialty food products like the Green Pistachio of Bronte facilitate understanding of the connections between food, culture, and environment within a specific geographic context. Mt Etna's powerful presence in the landscape adds to the unique characteristics of this product and its place of origin.

Purpose. This study examines relationships between overweight in children and two environmental factors—amount of vegetation surrounding a child's place of residence and proximity of the child's residence to various types of food retail locations. We hypothesize that living in greener neighborhoods, farther from fast food restaurants, and closer to supermarkets would be associated with lower risk of overweight. Design. Cross-sectional study. Setting. Network of primary care pediatric clinics in Marion County, Indiana. Subjects. We acquired data for 7334 subjects, ages 3 to 18 years, presenting for routine well-child care. Measures. Neighborhood vegetation and proximity to food retail were calculated using geographic information systems for each subject using circular and network buffers. Child weight status was defined using body mass index percentiles. Analysis. We used cumulative logit models to examine associations between an index of overweight, neighborhood vegetation, and food retail environment. Results. After controlling for individual socio-demographics and neighborhood socioeconomic status, measures of vegetation and food retail significantly predicted overweight in children. Increased neighborhood vegetation was associated with decreased risk for overweight, but only for subjects residing in higher population density regions. Increased distance between a subject's residence and the nearest large brand name supermarkets was associated with increased risk of overweight, but only for subjects residing in lower population density regions. Conclusions. This research suggests that aspects of the built environment are determinants of child weight status, ostensibly by influencing physical activity and dietary behaviors.