A national study of the association between neighbourhood access to fast-food outlets and the diet and weight of local residents

J Pearce, Rosemary Hiscock, T Blakely, K Witten

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

110 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

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.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)193-197
Number of pages5
JournalHealth & Place
Volume15
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2009

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