A national study of the association between neighbourhood access to fast-food outlets and the diet and weight of local residents.
Differential locational access to fast-food retailing between neighbourhoods of varying socioeconomic status has been suggested as a contextual explanation for the social distribution of diet-related mortality and morbidity. This New Zealand study examines whether neighbourhood access to fast-food outlets is associated with individual diet-related health outcomes. Travel distances to the closest fast-food outlet (multinational and locally operated) were calculated for all neighbourhoods and appended to a national health survey. Residents in neighbourhoods with the furthest access to a multinational fast-food outlet were more likely to eat the recommended intake of vegetables but also be overweight. There was no association with fruit consumption. Access to locally operated fast-food outlets was not associated with the consumption of the recommended fruit and vegetables or being overweight. Better neighbourhood access to fast-food retailing is unlikely to be a key contextual driver for inequalities in diet-related health outcomes in New Zealand.
Pearce
Jamie
J
GeoHealth Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8020, New Zealand. jamie.pearce@canterbury.ac.nz
Hiscock
Rosemary
R
Blakely
Tony
T
Witten
Karen
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003132:Commerce; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012147:Restaurants; D015430:Weight Gain; D055815:Young Adult