This study leveraged resources developed at the University of Southern California Transdisciplinary Research Center for Energetics and Cancer (USC C-TREC) and other related grants. Researchers pooled data from 500+ East Los Angeles Latino youth age 8-18 across seven studies to study the association between the built environment and obesity-related biomarkers in urban Latino youth. This database included metabolic information such as data on insulin dynamics and body composition, measured from subjects on an annual basis, and behavioral data including diet and objectively measured physical activity. These measures were layered into a built environment database assembled by C-TREC which included (1) school characteristics, (2) road measures, (3) land use measures, (4) edges and boundaries, (5) elevation characteristics, (6) food availability, (7) fitness and (8) crime, to assess the association between specific aspects of the built environment and body composition among Hispanic youth.
