

One of the priority actions to maximize healthy aging is to foster supportive environments for older adults, with operationalization that encourages healthy behaviors, such as physical activity and easier access to services that sell good quality food (e.g., fairs, greengrocers’ shops, supermarkets, and others) ( Rudnicka et al., 2020). In Brazil, older adults are the fastest growing population ( Closs & Schwanke, 2012), causing changes in the epidemiological profile and culminating in increased rates of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD) ( Lima e Costa et al., 2000). At the same time, the aging of the population and increased life expectancy exacerbate this challenge ( Brasil, 2010 Rudnicka et al., 2020). The results demonstrated that the number of establishments in a neighborhood is associated with cardiometabolic outcomes, and the likelihood of MS and increased WC is lower for older adults who live in neighborhoods with more access to establishments that sell foundational components of a healthy diet.Ĭardiometabolic risk factors and subsequent disease are main causes of mortality globally and have been a major public health challenge due to increasing rates of obesity, high blood pressure, and metabolic syndrome (MS) ( Hsia et al., 2020 Kocarnik et al., 2022). WC was lower in individuals living in places with greater availability of greengrocers’ shops and restaurants. The study revealed that greater frequency of supermarkets and restaurants in the neighborhood was associated with a lower likelihood of having MS. Multivariate linear regression was used to test association between food outlet proximity and continuous outcomes (SBP and WC), and multiple logistic regression was used to examine the relations between the predictor variables and the dichotomous outcome of MS (yes/no). The number of each type of food establishment in a 500 m buffer around the each residence was determined. The residences of older adult participants were georeferenced using Geographical Information System (GIS) software. The healthy food environment was assessed via the number and types of establishments present. Individual-level data on MS, WC, SBP, and socio-demographic and health-related characteristics were collected from face to face interviews. This is a cross-sectional analysis of the second wave of the EpiFloripa Aging Cohort Study. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between healthy food outlet proximity, metabolic syndrome (MS), and two of its components, waist circumference (WC) and systolic blood pressure (SBP), in older adults (63–107 years old, median age 73 years) living in Florianópolis, South Brazil in 2013–2014. 5Department of Health Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Araranguá, Brazil.4Postgraduate Program in Physical Education, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil.3Postgraduate Program in Nutrition, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil.2School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.1Postgraduate Program in Public Health, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil.Bianca Bittencourt de Souza 1, Anna Quialheiro 2, Elizabeth Nappi Correa 3, Cassiano Ricardo Rech 4, Maruí Weber Corseuil Giehl 5 and Eleonora d’Orsi 1*
