Do you live near a fast food restaurant?

• April 29, 2024

Maybe living near fast food restaurants could be comfortable, but living within a radius of two miles (a little over three kilometers) of one, may be very comfortable.

A recent study suggests that African Americans who live near those businesses have a higher body mass index (BMI, body fat and weight measurement) than those who live farther away.

The researchers of Oncology Center M.D. Anderson from the University of Texas They point out that these characteristics occur more frequently among people with lower incomes.

The findings are significant because black people are at greater risk of the negative health effects associated with obesity, such as diabetes and heart disease, the study authors said.

"According to previous research, African-Americans, especially women, have higher rates of obesity than other ethnic groups, and the gap is increasing," study leader Lorraine Reitzel said in a university news release.

"The results of this study add to those that indicate that the environment of a person's neighborhood and the meals to which they are exposed can contribute to a higher BMI," says the assistant professor of the research department of the disparities in the health of the MD Anderson

Living closer to a fast food restaurant was associated with a higher BMI, regardless of the income of the participants, the study showed. On the other hand, each additional 1.6 km between the homes of the participants and the nearest fast food restaurant was associated with a 2.4% lower BMI.

The study, published in the American magazine Journal of Public Health , points out that the more restaurants of this type were in a particular area, the higher the BMI of the participants in the study.

"Fast food is designed specifically to be affordable, attractive and comfortable," explained Reitzel. "People have little time and they have to behave in a way that makes things cost them the least amount of time possible, and this could include the foods they choose."

Video Medicine: Fast Food Restaurants That Straight Up Cheat Customers (April 2024).