According to a US study, the concentration of fast food establishments contributes to a less healthy diet by adolescents. In neighborhoods where the presence of this type of establishment is greater, the preference for junk food increases.
The study, carried out by the Health Policy Research Center of the University of UCLA, California (USA), reveals that in that state three-quarters of adolescents live or go to school in neighborhoods that are crowded with fast food restaurants and other establishments where unhealthy food is sold. The results confirm that, out of all harshness and surprise, adolescents in these neighborhoods like to drink carbonated soft drinks and junk food more than others.
Susan Babey, co-author of the study, summarized the conclusions of the study: “You are what you eat. You are also where you eat.” “If you live in a place where there is a fast food restaurant or similar in each block, with few healthy alternatives, you will prefer junk food,” said Babey.
Teenagers in the less healthy neighborhoods were statistically 17 percent more likely to drink soda every day and 18 percent to eat fast food a couple of times a week than in the “healthier” neighborhoods, generally from greater purchasing power. Research has found a direct link between the consumption of these foods and excess calories, which can contribute to diabetes and obesity.
The conclusions of this study cannot but be critical, therefore, with the reduction in the number of restaurants or traditional establishments in favor of fast food chains and the negative trend that this presence has on adolescents and their eating behaviors. In Babey’s words, it is shown that “urban planning has a real impact on health, quality of life.”
