Is Distance Of Fast Food Outlet From School Related To Obesity?

Obesity is a serious health issue as when one is overweight or obese, many medical conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and even certain types of cancer will eventually come into picture. Worst still, the obesity rate seems to increase rapidly among schoolchildren and teens. Unhealthy lifestyle like eating too much fast food and physically inactivity are frequently blamed to cause such epidemic.

Just imagine, if there is fast food restaurant within about 500 feet (150 meters) of a school, then there will be at least 5 percent increase in the obesity rate in that school. This is revealed in a study by economists from Columbia University and the University California, Berkeley. They also suggested that a ban on fast foods in the immediate proximity of schools could have a significant effect on obesity rates among affected students.

In fact, a study reported in December 2008 that youth who study within a half mile (800 meters) from a fast food outlet ate fewer fruit and vegetables, drank more soda and were more likely to be obese than students at other schools.

Released by the American Association of Wine Economists during March 2009, the current study focused on the ninth graders, typically about 14 years old. According to the researchers, it might be good policy to have a fast-food-free zone since fast food near school causes obesity. After all, such policy does not deviate too much from existing ones aiming to suppress consumption of soft drinks and junk foods in schools or to improve quality of school lunch.

Such argument definitely makes those in the fast food business unhappy and immediately draws objection from them. They point out that it is the duty of the parents to limit their children’s allowance or let them know when and where they should not eat certain things. Furthermore, they also clarified that their menus have been changed in the last 5 years. For example, more healthy options are now available to include slices of apple, milk instead of sodas. In other words, the fast food restaurants have strived to diversify their menus and make them healthier.

Youth Studying Closed to Fast Food Restaurants Tend to be Obese!

Fast food has been accused as the culprit responsible for the prevailing obesity epidemic among the youngsters. Evidence has already shown that obese people have higher chance of getting heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and many other medical disorders.

Consumer groups have actively pushed for laws on new fast food restaurants in certain Los Angeles neighborhoods, and the food industry often responds and maintains that a lack of exercise is more to blame.

The youth obesity rates in United States have tripled since 1980, although they did level off this decade. According to the figures from government, 32 percent of United States children are overweight and 16 percent are obese.

Published on December 23, 2008 in the American Journal of Public Health, researchers from Azusa Pacific University in California reported that youth who study near a fast-food outlet eat fewer servings of fruit and vegetables, drink more soda, and they are more likely to be obese or overweight than students at other schools are.

Involving more than 500,000 adolescents at middle schools and high schools in California, the study examined the relationship between obesity among these students and fast food restaurants located within half a mile (0.8 km) of schools.

The weight and dietary information from a statewide school survey between 2002 and 2005 were recorded and the data was cross-referenced with a database of top fast food chains located near each school.

The researchers discovered that fast food outlets near schools did affect students’ eating habits, and hence overweight and obesity. Results clearly showed that students, who were exposed to nearby fast food, have a higher level of body mass index. In other words, they just weighed more. However, they could not determine the exact rationale why fast food restaurants near schools have such an impact.

Possible explanation should go beyond than easy accessing to burgers, fries and tacos. Perhaps, ‘a nearby fast food restaurant is a perfect location for people to socialize’ might be the reason.

Kids Don't Like Healthy Foods, Do You Agree?

If I say nowadays teens do not love vegetables or other healthy foods, I bet many of you will hardly disagree. Reason is simple, healthy foods are simply not yummy to them.

The youngsters just eat whatever they like. The types of food they enjoy most are fast foods, and unarguably, these are usually unhealthy. Either they know very little about what they should eat and what they should not or they simply find these irrelevant to them. That is why so many youngsters become overweight or even obese. The childhood obesity has already become a global epidemic that cause headache for the respective governments.

Adopting unhealthy diet will make these obese kids become victims of many chronic diseases. Heart disease is only one of the many medical disorders they may have to face when they grow up. However, when one is young, it is extremely difficult to talk to them about things that they do not really anticipate. When I was young, I could not listen and agree to advices given by my parents or seniors.

This is understandable because at that time, I just could not visualize exactly the scenario that they tried to depict for me. Surely many of you would have the same experience as mine. Therefore, it is necessary to instil the correct dieting habits to teens from the outset. Perhaps parents should first adopt healthy lifestyle and become role model for their children.

I know a family that seldom dines out. The mother cooks almost every single meal at home and the father and children make effort to come back for almost every single meal. Occasionally, when they dine out, they will simply reject salty or oily foods even they are very delicious. In other words, healthy diet has become part of their life and their subconscious mind tells what they should eat and what they should not.

The following video news titled 'tips to keep kids hale and hearty', posted at The Straits Times reveals the general attitudes towards food for teens in Singapore and what the Health Promotion Board (HPB) in Singapore do to help cultivate the correct mindset about food for youngsters in Singapore.

Enjoy watching!

Tips to keep kids hale and hearty

How Many Youngsters Do Not Take Fast Food?

Have you ever asked youngsters whether they like to take fast food? 'Yes!’ I bet this was the answer you got from them most of the time. This is not surprising because in Singapore, a latest survey has revealed that 9 out of 10 Singaporean adolescents eat at Western fast-food restaurants and among them, more than three-quarters do so once a week.

During October 2007, a group of master's students at the National Institute of Education (NIE) conducted a survey of 265 students aged between 12 and 19, and reported that the youngsters actually base their food choices on 3 main factors: taste, appeal and convenience.

Taking too much fast food will not only put extra weight on the body but also raise the risk of heart disease and many medical conditions. These young people are just not getting enough information on how unhealthy and unbalanced these trans fat-laden fast foods were. They missed out on important information regarding what they are actually eating and whether it is good for them. Once the youngsters have developed unhealthy lifestyles, they will actually suffer when they grow older because they will get sick too young and they will spend more on the medical expenses.

This is, indeed, a serious problem. Data shows that 9 percent of children in Singapore are overweight, and 3 to 5 percent are obese. People with BMI between 25 and 30 are classified as overweight and above 30 as obese. BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measure of body fat based on one's height and weight. Nevertheless, Singapore is not alone as the fast-food phenomenon has already swept across Asia.

Schools have already taken steps to encourage school children to take up more physical activities during school hours. Therefore, the biggest problem in schools lies not in lack of exercise during school hours, but what children do after school. As such, schools will have to work with the community and parents to address the issue.