ScienceDaily: A new study has found that contrary to conventional wisdom, living near a fast food outlet does not cause a weight gain in children. The study by Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) researchers also considered whether living near supermarkets, which sell fresh fruit and vegetables as well as so called junk food, lowers weight.
The IUPUI research, published in the National Bureau of Economic Research's Economic Aspects of Obesity, examined pediatric medical records over 11 years from clinics in inner city Indianapolis to determine the effects on body mass of environmental changes, such as the opening or closing of a convenience store or the installation of a playground.
Living near a fast food outlet had little effect on weight and living near a supermarket did not lower it. The researchers did find that living near certain recreational amenities such as kickball diamonds lowers children's body mass indexes.
