In this study, we adopt a novel measure of residential preferences in conjunction with
longitudinal data to assess the role that residential selection may play in the relationship between
built environment and obesity risk. We argue that an individual’s BMI at a point in time
represents in part the collective influence of direct causal effects of the current neighbourhood
environment, and the individual’s preference for a certain type of neighbourhood that is related
directly or indirectly to weight. The current neighborhood may offer a certain food environment
and physical activity setting that may create direct effects on obesity risk. However, some