Christiane Weber

Publications of Christiane Weber

• Associations of Supermarket Characteristics with Weight Status and Body Fat: A Multilevel Analysis of Individuals within Supermarkets (RECORD Study).

  Authors: Basile Chaix, Kathy Bean, Mark Daniel, Shannon N Zenk, Yan Kestens, Hélène Charreire, Cinira Leal, Frédérique Thomas, Noëlla Karusisi, Christiane Weber, Jean-Michel Oppert, Chantal Simon, Juan Merlo, Bruno Pannier

  PloS one. 01/2012; 7(4):e32908.

  Previous research on the influence of the food environment on weight status has often used impersonal measures of the food environment defined for residential neighborhoods, which ignore whetherPrevious research on the influence of the food environment on weight status has often used impersonal measures of the food environment defined for residential neighborhoods, which ignore whether people actually use the food outlets near their residence. To assess whether supermarkets are relevant contexts for interventions, the present study explored between-residential neighborhood and between-supermarket variations in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), and investigated associations between brands and characteristics of supermarkets and BMI or WC, after adjustment for individual and residential neighborhood characteristics. Participants in the RECORD Cohort Study (Paris Region, France, 2007-2008) were surveyed on the supermarket (brand and exact location) where they conducted their food shopping. Overall, 7 131 participants shopped in 1 097 different supermarkets. Cross-classified multilevel linear models were estimated for BMI and WC. Just 11.4% of participants shopped for food primarily within their residential neighborhood. After accounting for participants' residential neighborhood, people shopping in the same supermarket had a more comparable BMI and WC than participants shopping in different supermarkets. After adjustment for individual and residential neighborhood characteristics, participants shopping in specific supermarket brands, in hard discount supermarkets (especially if they had a low education), and in supermarkets whose catchment area comprised low educated residents had a higher BMI/WC. A public health strategy to reduce excess weight may be to intervene on specific supermarkets to change food purchasing behavior, as supermarkets are where dietary preferences are materialized into definite purchased foods.

• Analysing the influence of different street vegetation on traffic-induced particle dispersion using microscale simulations.

  Authors: Annett Wania, Michael Bruse, Nadège Blond, Christiane Weber

  Journal of environmental management. 09/2011; 94(1):91-101.

  Urban vegetation can be viewed as compensation to the environmental drawbacks of urbanisation. However, its ecosystem function is not well-known and, for urban planning, vegetation is mainlyUrban vegetation can be viewed as compensation to the environmental drawbacks of urbanisation. However, its ecosystem function is not well-known and, for urban planning, vegetation is mainly considered as an element of urban design. This article argues that planning practice needs to re-examine the impact of vegetation cover in the urban fabric given our evaluation of vegetation's effects on air quality, including the dispersion of traffic-induced particles at street level. Using the three-dimensional microclimate model ENVI-met®, we evaluate these effects regarding the height-to-width ratio of streets flanked by buildings and the vertical and horizontal density of street vegetation. Our results reveal vegetation's effect on particle dispersion through its influence on street ventilation. In general, vegetation was found to reduce wind speed, causing inhibition of canyon ventilation and, consequently, an increase in particle concentrations. Vegetation was also found to reduce wind speed at crown-height and to disrupt the flow field in close vicinity to the canopy. With increasing height-to-width ratio of street canyons, wind speed reduction increases and the disturbance of the flow impacts across a canyon's entire width. We also found that the effect is more pronounced in configurations with poor ventilation, such as the low wind speed, perpendicular inflow direction, and in deep canyons cases.

• Estimating spatial accessibility to facilities on the regional scale: an extended commuting-based interaction potential model.

  Authors: Paul Salze, Arnaud Banos, Jean-Michel Oppert, Hélène Charreire, Romain Casey, Chantal Simon, Basile Chaix, Dominique Badariotti, Christiane Weber

  International journal of health geographics. 01/2011; 10:2.

  There is growing interest in the study of the relationships between individual health-related behaviours (e.g. food intake and physical activity) and measurements of spatial accessibility to theThere is growing interest in the study of the relationships between individual health-related behaviours (e.g. food intake and physical activity) and measurements of spatial accessibility to the associated facilities (e.g. food outlets and sport facilities). The aim of this study is to propose measurements of spatial accessibility to facilities on the regional scale, using aggregated data. We first used a potential accessibility model that partly makes it possible to overcome the limitations of the most frequently used indices such as the count of opportunities within a given neighbourhood. We then propose an extended model in order to take into account both home and work-based accessibility for a commuting population. Potential accessibility estimation provides a very different picture of the accessibility levels experienced by the population than the more classical "number of opportunities per census tract" index. The extended model for commuters increases the overall accessibility levels but this increase differs according to the urbanisation level. Strongest increases are observed in some rural municipalities with initial low accessibility levels. Distance to major urban poles seems to play an essential role. Accessibility is a multi-dimensional concept that should integrate some aspects of travel behaviour. Our work supports the evidence that the choice of appropriate accessibility indices including both residential and non-residential environmental features is necessary. Such models have potential implications for providing relevant information to policy-makers in the field of public health.

• Associations between dietary patterns, physical activity (leisure-time and occupational) and television viewing in middle-aged French adults.

  Authors: Hélène Charreire, Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot, Sandrine Bertrais, Chantal Simon, Basile Chaix, Christiane Weber, Mathilde Touvier, Pilar Galan, Serge Hercberg, Jean-Michel Oppert

  The British journal of nutrition. 01/2011; 105(6):902-10.

  Diet and physical activity are considered to be major components of a healthy lifestyle. However, few studies have examined in detail the relationships between specific types of physical activity,Diet and physical activity are considered to be major components of a healthy lifestyle. However, few studies have examined in detail the relationships between specific types of physical activity, sedentary behaviour and diet in adults. The objective of the present study was to assess differential relationships between dietary patterns, leisure-time and occupational physical activities and time spent watching television (TV), as an indicator of sedentary behaviour, in middle-aged French subjects. We performed a cross-sectional analysis using data from 1359 participants in the SUpplémentation en VItamines et Minéraux AntioXydants study, who completed a detailed physical activity questionnaire and at least six 24 h dietary records. Sex-specific dietary patterns were derived using factor analysis; their relationships with leisure-time and occupational physical activities and TV viewing were assessed using ANCOVA, after adjustment for age, educational level and smoking status. Three dietary patterns were identified in each sex. After adjustment for potential confounders, leisure-time physical activity was positively associated with a 'healthy' food pattern in both men (P for trend < 0·01) and women (P for trend < 0·03) and negatively associated with an 'alcohol/meat' pattern in men (P for trend < 0·01). TV viewing was positively associated with a 'convenience' pattern in men and with a 'alcohol-appetiser' pattern in women. In conclusion, identification of relationships between dietary patterns, physical activity and sedentary behaviour can enable identification of different types of lifestyle and should help to target at-risk groups in nutrition prevention programmes.

• Measuring the food environment using geographical information systems: a methodological review.

  Authors: Hélène Charreire, Romain Casey, Paul Salze, Chantal Simon, Basile Chaix, Arnaud Banos, Dominique Badariotti, Christiane Weber, Jean-Michel Oppert

  Public health nutrition. 11/2010; 13(11):1773-85.

  Through a literature review, we investigated the geographic information systems (GIS) methods used to define the food environment and the types of spatial measurements they generate. ReviewThrough a literature review, we investigated the geographic information systems (GIS) methods used to define the food environment and the types of spatial measurements they generate. Review study. Searches were conducted in health science databases, including Medline/Pubmed, PsycINFO, Francis and GeoBase. We included studies using GIS-based measures of the food environment published up to 1 June 2008. Twenty-nine papers were included. Two different spatial approaches were identified. The density approach quantifies the availability of food outlets using the buffer method, kernel density estimation or spatial clustering. The proximity approach assesses the distance to food outlets by measuring distances or travel times. GIS network analysis tools enable the modelling of travel time between referent addresses (home) and food outlets for a given transportation network and mode, and the assumption of travel routing behaviours. Numerous studies combined both approaches to compare food outlet spatial accessibility between different types of neighbourhoods or to investigate relationships between characteristics of the food environment and individual food behaviour. GIS methods provide new approaches for assessing the food environment by modelling spatial accessibility to food outlets. On the basis of the available literature, it appears that only some GIS methods have been used, while other GIS methods combining availability and proximity, such as spatial interaction models, have not yet been applied to this field. Future research would also benefit from a combination of GIS methods with survey approaches to describe both spatial and social food outlet accessibility as important determinants of individual food behaviours.

• Investigating disparities in spatial accessibility to and characteristics of sport facilities: Direction, strength, and spatial scale of associations with area income.

  Authors: Nathalie Billaudeau, Jean-Michel Oppert, Chantal Simon, Hélène Charreire, Romain Casey, Paul Salze, Dominique Badariotti, Arnaud Banos, Christiane Weber, Basile Chaix

  Health & place. 09/2010;

  We conducted an environmental justice study of the spatial distribution of sport facilities, a major resource for physical activity, in the Paris Region in France. Comprehensive data of the FrenchWe conducted an environmental justice study of the spatial distribution of sport facilities, a major resource for physical activity, in the Paris Region in France. Comprehensive data of the French Census of Sport Facilities allowed us to investigate disparities not only in the spatial accessibility to facilities, but also in the characteristics of these facilities. We found that the associations between area income and the presence of facilities or favorable characteristics of these facilities varied from positive to negative depending on the facilities and on the characteristics examined. Sensitivity analyses defining area income in circular areas of different radii permitted a refined identification of areas underserved in sport facilities.

• Simulating the impact of urban sprawl on air quality and population exposure in the German Ruhr area. Part II: Development and evaluation of an urban growth scenario

  Authors: Koen De Ridder, Filip Lefebre, Stefan Adriaensen, Ute Arnold, Wolfgang Beckroege, Christine Bronner, Ole Damsgaard, Ivo Dostal, Jiri Dufek, Jacky Hirsch, Luc IntPanis, Zdenek Kotek, Thierry Ramadier, Annette Thierry, Stijn Vermoote, Annett Wania, Christiane Weber

  Atmospheric Environment.

  The impact of uncontrolled urban growth (‘sprawl’) on air pollution and associated population exposure is investigated. This is done for the Ruhr area in Germany, by means of a coupled modellingThe impact of uncontrolled urban growth (‘sprawl’) on air pollution and associated population exposure is investigated. This is done for the Ruhr area in Germany, by means of a coupled modelling system dealing with land use changes, traffic, meteorology, and atmospheric dispersion and chemistry. In a companion paper [De Ridder, K., Lefebre F., Adriaensen S., Arnold U., Beckroege W., Bronner C., Damsgaard O., Dostal I., Dufek J., Hirsch J., Int Panis L., Kotek Z., Ramadier T., Thierry A., Vermoote S., Wania A., Weber C., 2008. Simulating the impact of urban sprawl on air quality and population exposure in the German Ruhr area. Part I: reproducing the base state.], a description was given of the coupling of these models and of the validation of simulation results. In the present paper, a land use change scenario was implemented to mimic urban sprawl, relocating 12% of the urban population in the study domain to the green periphery. The resulting updated land use, population and employment density patterns were then used as input for traffic simulations, yielding an increase of total traffic volume by almost 17%. As a consequence, the domain-average simulated pollutant concentrations of ozone and particulate matter increased, though by a smaller amount, of approximately 4%. In a final step, population exposure to air pollution was calculated, both for the base case and the scenario simulations. A very slight domain-average exposure increase was found, of the order of a half percent. A compensating mechanism was identified, explaining this small figure. However, when stratifying the population into groups of individuals that were relocated to the urban periphery and those that were not, much larger exposure changes following urban sprawl emerged. Indeed, it was found that the relatively small proportion of relocated individuals benefited of a decrease of exposure to particulate matter by almost 13%, mainly because of their moving out of the most polluted areas; and that this came at the expense of an increase of exposure of 1.2% by the individuals not having moved.

• Simulating the impact of urban sprawl on air quality and population exposure in the German Ruhr area. Part I: Reproducing the base state

  Authors: Koen De Ridder, Filip Lefebre, Stefan Adriaensen, Ute Arnold, Wolfgang Beckroege, Christine Bronner, Ole Damsgaard, Ivo Dostal, Jiri Dufek, Jacky Hirsch, Luc IntPanis, Zdenek Kotek, Thierry Ramadier, Annette Thierry, Stijn Vermoote, Annett Wania, Christiane Weber

  Atmospheric Environment.

  Compact city forms are associated with minimal consumption of land and energy, hence, they are often promoted as being the more sustainable thus preferred mode of urban development. In this context,Compact city forms are associated with minimal consumption of land and energy, hence, they are often promoted as being the more sustainable thus preferred mode of urban development. In this context, numerical simulations were performed to evaluate the effect of urban sprawl on air quality and associated human exposure. Working on a highly urbanised area in the German Ruhrgebiet, models dealing with satellite data processing, traffic flows, pollutant emission and atmospheric dispersion were applied in an integrated fashion, under conditions representative of the urbanised area as it is today. A fair agreement was obtained between simulated and observed meteorological variables, as well as between simulated and observed concentrations of ozone and particulate matter. Simulated atmospheric pollution fields were found to closely reflect urbanisation patterns. In a companion paper [De Ridder, K., Lefebre, F., Adriaensen, S., Arnold, U., Beckroege, W., Bronner, C., Damsgaard, O., Dostal, I., Dufek, J., Hirsch, J., IntPanis, L., Kotek, Z., Ramadier, T., Thierry, A., Vermoote, S., Wania, A., Weber, C., 2008. Simulating the impact of urban sprawl on air quality and population exposure in the German Ruhr area. Part II: Development and evaluation of an urban growth scenario], the results of this base case simulation will be compared with those of a scenario simulation, designed to mimic urban sprawl, so as to allow the evaluation of the latter on air quality and associated human exposure.

• Urbanization pressure and modeling of urban growth: example of the Tunis Metropolitan Area

  Authors: Christiane Weber, Anne Puissant

  Remote Sensing of Environment / Remote Sensing of the Environment.

• Entre dasymétrique et choroplète : typologie de l'espace adaptée à l'étude des relations entre santé et environnement

  Authors: Paul Salze, Dominique Badariotti, Arnaud Banos, Hélène Charreire, Jean-Michel Oppert, Romain Casey, Chantal Simon, Basile Chaix, Christiane Weber

  Actes des 9èmes Rencontre Théo Quant.

• Simulating the impact of urban sprawl on air quality and population exposure in the German Ruhr area. Part I: Reproducing the reference state / Part II: Development and evaluation of an urban growth scenario

  Authors: Kon De Ridder, F. Lefebre, S. Adriaensen, Ulrich Arnold, W. Beckroege, C. Bronner, O. Damsgaard, I. Dostal, J. Dufek, Jacky Hirsch, L. Int Panis, Z. Kotek, Thierry Ramadier, A. Thierry, S. Vermoote, Annett Wania, Christiane Weber

  Atmospheric Environment.

• Assessment of different land use development scenarios in terms of traffic flows and associated air quality

  Authors: F. Lefebre, Kon De Ridder, S. Adriaensen, Luke J. Janssen, L. Int Panis, S. Vermoote, J. Dufek, Annett Wania, Jacky Hirsch, Christiane Weber, A. Thierry

  Proceedings of the 27th NATO/CCMS International Technical Meeting on Air Pollution Modelling and its Application.

• Simulating the impact of urban sprawl on air quality and population exposure in the German Ruhr area. Part I: Reproducing the base state

  Authors: Koen De Ridder, Filip Lefebre, Stephan Adiaensen, Ute Arnold, Wolfgang Beckroege, Anne-Christine Bronner, Ole Damsgaard, Ivo Dostal, Jiri Dufek, Jacky Hirsch, Luc Intpanis, Zdenek Kotek, Thierry Ramadier, Annette Thierry, Stijn Vermoote, Annett Wania, Christiane Weber

  Atmospheric Environment.

• Simulating the impact of urban sprawl on air quality and population exposure in the German Ruhr area. Part II: Development and evaluation of an urban growth scenario

  Authors: Koen De Ridder, Filip Lefebre, Stephan Adiaensen, Ute Arnold, Wolfgang Beckroege, Anne-Christine Bronner, Ole Damsgaard, Ivo Dostal, Jiri Dufek, Jacky Hirsch, Luc Intpanis, Zdenek Kotek, Thierry Ramadier, Annette Thierry, Stijn Vermoote, Annett Wania, Christiane Weber

  Atmospheric Environment.

• Méthode de typologie de l'espace adaptée à l'étude environnementale des phénomènes épidémiologiques relatifs à l'obésité et au sur-poids

  Authors: Paul Salze, Dominique Badariotti, Arnaud Banos, Christiane Weber

  Théo Quant.

• Micro-scale simulations of vegetation influence on traffic induced particle dispers

  Authors: Annett Wania, Michael Bruse, Christiane Weber

  Internationales Seminar Stadtökologie Qualität der Stadtlandschaft - Indikatoren, Planung und Perspektiven.

• Hyperspectral imagery and urban green observation

  Authors: Annett Wania, Christiane Weber

  Urban Remote Sensing Joint Event, ISPRS.

• Micro-scale simulations of vegetation influence on traffic induced particle dispersion

  Authors: Annett Wania, Michael Bruse, Christiane Weber

  Qualität der Stadtlandschaften. Indikatoren, Planung und Perspektiven.

• Complexité et Modification paradigmatique – la très haute résolution spatiale ... une (r)évolution ?

  Authors: Christiane Weber, Anne Puissant, Annett Wania, C. Tran Thi

  Atelier PNTS sur la Très Haute Résolution Spatiale en Télédétection Urbaine - Caractérisation des matériaux et des sols, signatures spectrales, classification et identification.

• Images hyperspectrales et caractérisation de la végétation en milieu urbain

  Authors: Annett Wania, Christiane Weber

  Atelier PNTS « Hyperspectral ».