Fast Food Ban in South Los Angeles: Study says the restaurants lead to obesity (duh)

A decade-long study of thousands found that students whose schools are within a block of a fast-food outlet are more likely to be obese than students whose schools are a quarter of a mile or more away.

“Neighborhoods that choose to zone out fast-food restaurants are probably taking a step to protect the future health of their children,” Kelly Brownell, director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, told the New York Times.

The study, buried on page 14 of the NYT, was done by economists at the University of California and Columbia University.

In July, the Councilwoman Jan Perry led the L.A. City Council to adopt landmark legislation mandating a one-year moratorium on the building of new fast-food eateries in a 32-square-mile area.

Perry's ban generated national media attention and outrage, including a story in the New York Times that mentioned the Leimert Park Beat.

The facts, according to the Los Angeles Times:

South Los Angeles has the highest concentration of fast-food eateries in the city. 45% of the 900 restaurants in South L.A. are fast-food chains, compared with 16% of 2,200 restaurants in Los Angeles' Westside.

South L.A. also has far fewer grocery stores.

Thirty percent of adults in South L.A. are obese, compared with 20.9% in the county.

For children, the obesity rate was 29% in South L.A., compared with 23.3% in the county.

“I think we got as close to proving causation as any other study has, and probably as close as is feasible with the existing data,” said Enrico Moretti, one of the paper’s authors. “We’re quite confident that these are credible and unbiased estimates of the causal effect of fast food on obesity for the group we focused on.”

LA Times takes a flyover on the topic as well on Friday.

Views: 50

Comment

You need to be a member of University Park Family to add comments!

Join University Park Family

University Park Family is the news and social network for the neighborhoods around USC and Expo Park. Stay informed. Join now!

       • Got news you think everyone should know? Blog it.

• Have a show or attending a benefit? Put it on the calendar.
• Got video of the big game? Embed it.
• Photos of your business or the school play? Upload them.

Latest Activity

billy jones bluez posted a video

.✨.♪♫•*¨*•. Cover Me ..♪♫•*¨*•. . ~ the Delta Blues Outlaws

.✨.♪♫•*¨*•. .Cover Me ..♪♫•*¨*•. . the Delta Blues Outlaws https://youtu.be/liApP5LlKqE.✨.♪♫•*¨*•. .The Love Doctor ..♪♫•*¨*•. . ...
Feb 28
billy jones bluez updated their profile
Feb 28
billy jones bluez posted a blog post
Feb 18
Lucy Pollak posted an event
Thumbnail

64th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration at The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

December 24, 2023 from 3pm to 6pm
The two-time Emmy Award-winning L.A. County Holiday Celebration joyously returns to The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to celebrate its 64th anniversary with a free, live, in-person holiday spectacular. The annual event will feature 23 music ensembles, choirs and dance companies from the many neighborhoods and cultures of L.A. County. Entrance to the in-person event is free, with seating available on a first-come, first-seated basis. Parking is free in The Music Center parking garage.…See More
Dec 6, 2023
Lucy Pollak updated their profile
Dec 6, 2023
billy jones bluez posted a blog post

Man & A Half ~ the Delta Blues Outlaws

Man & A Half ~ the Delta Blues OutlawsSee More
Dec 2, 2023
Lucy Pollak posted an event
Thumbnail

CicLAvia – South LA at South LA

December 3, 2023 from 9am to 3pm
On Sunday, December 3; between 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., celebrating its 13th year of catalyzing vibrant public spaces, active transportation and good health through car-free streets, CicLAvia – South LA, presented by Metro, welcomes everyone of all ages and abilities to its 49th car-free open streets event connecting Leimert Park and Historic South Central so participants can jog, ride, bike, skate, run, walk, skateboard, spectate, play, and enjoy the 6-mile route. Always free, CicLAvia participants…See More
Nov 13, 2023
Jo- Koo of DojO- posted a photo
Sep 23, 2023

Members

© 2024   Created by University Park Family.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service