Fewer Fast Food Outlets Might Help Prevent Childhood Obesity: Study

More than 390 million children and adolescents were overweight or obese as of 2022, according to the World Health Organization. A recent study suggests that one way to prevent those in the 5 to 19 age group from becoming obese is to restrict the number of fast food outlets in all neighborhoods.

“The causes of childhood obesity are complex and multifaceted. However, environmental factors play an important role in the prevalence of childhood obesity. There has been evidence showing that the out-of-home food environment has impacts on childhood energy intake. In particular, fast-food consumption and the location of fast-food outlets are strongly associated with a higher energy intake and a higher prevalence of childhood obesity,” the researchers explained in the study.

“The density of fast-food outlets is the number of fast-food outlets per 100,000 residents, and it has been rising across England. Data from the Food Standards Agency show that the average density of fast-food outlets increased from 142 to 170 per 100,000 residents between 2019 to the end of 2021. Areas of higher deprivation have five times as many fast-food outlets compared to more affluent areas. This may be a contributing factor to inequalities in childhood weight,” they added.

The team of researchers studied the data of food outlets in England from the Food Standards Agency Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FSA FHRS), which the government agency collected from 2012 and 2020. The team also analyzed data on children’s weight from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). They found that underprivileged areas had the highest proportion of fast food outlets.

In a press release, Alice Wiseman from the Gateshead Council and Newcastle Council said: “Creating environments that support access to healthy, affordable food is one of the biggest public health missions of our generation. The challenge of healthy weight and access to nutritious food is complex, ever-changing, and hard to resolve. There is no silver bullet, and several interventions are needed to create real, impactful, and lasting change.”

“It’s great to see when teams across local government come together with full institutional support, how robust planning policies can chip away at such challenges to facilitate healthier and more resilient communities,” Wiseman added.

Childhood obesity could result in long-term health issues that continue well into adulthood. Prior research has reported that childhood obesity is linked to an increased risk of depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem mainly due to a higher risk of being subjected to bullying and stigmatization. Being obese during childhood is also associated with a higher likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and mental health issues in adulthood.

“The food environment is changing, with a growing presence of online food delivery available. Future research needs to consider whether and how the online food environment may impact the exposure to unhealthy food and whether existing guidance and legislation needs to be changed to reflect this changing food environment,” the authors highlighted. The study was published in the journal Obesity.