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Related Experiment Videos

Weight status and restaurant availability a multilevel analysis.

Neil K Mehta1, Virginia W Chang

  • 1Graduate Group in Demography, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. nmehta@sas.upenn.edu

American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|January 19, 2008
PubMed
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The density of fast-food restaurants and a higher fast-food to full-service ratio correlate with increased obesity risk. Conversely, more full-service restaurants are linked to lower weight status, indicating a healthier food environment.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Environmental Health

Background:

  • Contextual factors significantly influence individual weight status beyond socioeconomic factors.
  • The food environment, particularly the proliferation of restaurants, is increasingly scrutinized for its role in rising obesity rates.
  • Understanding the impact of away-from-home eating establishments on public health is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between the restaurant environment and population weight status across U.S. counties.
  • To analyze how fast-food and full-service restaurant density, and their mix, relate to individual weight outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized individual data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2002-2006) for 714,054 participants.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Linked individual data with U.S. Economic Census restaurant data from 2002.
  • Assessed fast-food density, full-service density, and restaurant mix (ratio of fast-food to full-service).

    • Main Results:

    • Higher fast-food restaurant density was associated with increased body mass index (BMI) and obesity risk.
    • A greater ratio of fast-food to full-service restaurants correlated with higher individual weight status.
    • Increased density of full-service restaurants was linked to lower individual weight status.

    Conclusions:

    • The restaurant environment, specifically the mix of fast-food versus full-service options, is a significant correlate of weight status.
    • The relative availability of fast-food establishments appears particularly influential for unhealthy weight outcomes.
    • Areas rich in full-service restaurants may offer a more health-conscious eating environment, warranting further research into menu healthfulness.