The role of the food environment on cardiometabolic health: Evidence from a large cross-sectional study on Type II Diabetes risk

Background: There is a demonstrated association between nutritional habits and metabolic diseases, specifically type II diabetes. Emerging studies demonstrate that the food environment potentially has an impact on individual and population type II diabetes risk. This study evaluates the association between the food environment and type II diabetes risk among adult residents across six metropolitan regions of Quebec.

Methods: A quantitative research design with cross-sectional analyses was employed using a subsample of 8,405 adults from the CARTaGENE cohort. Exposures to food environments were operationalized using 1000-meter buffer zones around residential addresses. Five density indicators and three proximity measures for grocery stores, convenience stores, and fast-food restaurants were calculated. Logistic regression analyses assessed associations between these indicators and self-reported type II diabetes, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results: Results showed an absence of statistically significant relationships between proximity to most food outlets (closest convenient stores and fast-food restaurants) and individual type II diabetes status. In contrast, the material deprivation index of a neighborhood was positively and significantly associated with type II diabetes risk. Residing in a “food desert” was the only geographic indicator statistically significantly positively associated with type II diabetes risk in both univariate (OR = 1.42; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.90) and multivariate models (OR = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.12, 2.18).

Conclusions: The study found no significant relationship between individual type II diabetes status and most food environment factors, though neighborhood socioeconomic indicators showed significant associations. Furthermore, residing in a "food desert" significantly increased individual type II diabetes risk. Public health measures to curb type II diabetes should concomitantly address individual risk factors, pertinent aspects of the food environment, and neighborhood socioeconomic indicators.

Dr. Sanjeev Sirpal is a physician, medical researcher, and public health scholar. He holds a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) and a certification in Family Medicine. He has co-authored several academic publications on topics such as chronic disease management, cardiometabolic health, and public health. In addition to his clinical and epidemiological research into the social determinants of health, he is a prolific inventor.