Living near fast-food restaurants and supermarkets hardly has any impact on an individual’s body mass index, suggests new research.
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Acccording to a Research:
- According to the study published in the journal Health Affairs.
- Public policies that are designed to reduce the number of fast-food restaurants.
- In addition, increase the number of supermarkets are unlikely to reduce obesity, although such policies may make it easier for people to access healthy foods.
- Fast food is generally not good for you, and supermarkets do sell healthy food.
- But our results suggest blocking the opening of a new fast-food restaurant or subsidising a local supermarket will do little to reduce obesity, said expert.
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- The research team based its findings on the Weight and Veterans’ Environments Study.
- A comprehensive database stretching from 2009 to 2014 and covering 1.7 million veterans living in 382 metropolitan areas in the US.
- The researchers could assess how BMI changed with each veteran.
- Furthermore, match it with the locations of fast-food outlets and supercenters such as Target and Walmart stores.
- The researchers calculated BMI by using height and weight measurements taken when the veterans visited a doctor, nurse practitioner or other provider.
- They added up the number of chain fast-food restaurants, supermarkets and other food outlets within one mile and three miles of the person’s residence.
- With that information, the researchers could track BMI changes, even when a person moved from one area to another or when a fast-food or other outlet opened or closed.
- Previous research on this topic has been based on snapshots in time known as cross-sectional data.
- It had suggested a link between food outlet access and BMI.
- “We couldn’t find evidence to support policies based on that presumed link,” expert said.