Mapping the Association Between Obesity and Walkability in Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Communities in Los Angeles County

Background: The prevalence of obesity among the Pacific Islander populations living in the US is among the highest in the world. This investigation focuses on the elaboration of Geographical Information System (GIS) based technology to show the distribution of Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) obesity prevalence compared with the accessibility to walk in NHOPI communities in Los Angeles County.

Methods: Obesity was collected from 2007 and 2011 Health Surveys administered by the Los Angeles County of Public Health. The spatial break-up of the data was separated by Health Districts, with a sample of an estimated 578,000 participants; 83,000 of which being Asian/Pacific Islanders. This data was used to determine the location of the majority of obese NHOPIs. Field studies, consisting of GPS images, will determine how accessible it is to walk in these communities.

Study Aim: This study aims to essentially determine whether NHOPI communities that indicate high rates of obesity, also indicate low walking accessibility. On the other hand, there is also an expectation that areas which indicate lower levels of obesity, will lend itself to a higher accessibility to walking.  

 Conclusion: GIS based maps can allow health providers to gain a better understanding of the concurrent health conditions and income levels of communities in which they work. This understanding can help create interventions which target specific determinants of NHOPI obesity in communities which do not lend themselves well to the ability to walk.