More Fast Food Options Make Residents Fatter

The higher the concentration of fast food restaurants in a city, the fatter its residents, according to a recent study from the University of Alberta.

1 minute read

December 20, 2007, 10:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg

"If you live in a city with more places to buy double-doubles, Big Macs and Mama Burgers, you're more likely to get really fat, new research from the University of Alberta confirms."

"For every extra fast-food restaurant per 10,000 people, a city's obesity rate goes up three per cent, said Sean Cash."

"Cash is a health economics professor who drew up an "obesity map" that plots obesity rates and the density of the top 10 fast-food chains in Canada."

"According to last year's Canadian Community Health Survey, Maritime residents were generally fatter and had more fast-food joints. St. John's, N.L., for instance, has an obesity rate of 36 per cent and 3.5 fast-food joints per 10,000 people. Saint John, N.B., ranked close with 35 per cent obesity and access to four outlets per 10,000 people."

FULL STORY: The greasier the city, the fatter its residents

Wednesday, December 19, 2007 in The Vancouver Sun

Social / Demographics Canada

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