Kids living near fast food restaurants are fatter

A research study made by the University of the West of England discovered that kids are keen to gaining weight if they live near fast food outlets

Lee en Español: Niños que viven cerca de restaurantes de comida rápida son más gordos

Researchers from the UWE Bristol discovered that kids between 4 to 5 years old and 10 to 11 are more willing to gain more weight if they have greater access to fast food outlets than those who don’t.

The study tracked the weight of around 1,500 students from South Gloucestershire in Bristol, West of England, and their neighborhood’s characteristics.

Lead researcher Matthew Pearce explained that the findings showed that “obesity is driven by many complex factors. Our study adds to existing evidence that the neighborhood environment plays an important role in the development of obesity”.

Pearce assured that the research also explained why the “number of children classified as obese doubles between the first and last year of primary school”. The study can help the creation of more effective public health policies that “support more favorable conditions that enable people to eat healthier and become more physically active”.

The study, which will be published in the Journal of Public Health, also found that child obesity could also be linked to specific socio economic aspects. According to the study, there is a  “higher density of fast food outlets within poorer neighborhoods, highlighting the challenges in analyzing the impact of the environment on people’s health”.

The research group also assured that the results suggest that it isn’t enough having a healthy lifestyle, but also it is helpful living in an adequate environment.

Latin American Post | Santiago Gómez Hernández 

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