Obesity not related to how close you live to fast food restaurants or gyms. Here’s why

Brand new research from Lund University in Sweden has proven there is no such thing as a correlation between weight problems and how close you reside to quick meals eating places or gyms.

Studies from different nations have beforehand indicated that these elements could also be necessary for grownup weight problems.

The areas the place we reside in are identified to be necessary for our well being. For instance, weight problems are extra prevalent in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Deprived neighborhoods are sometimes outlined by low socio-economic ranges, e.g., low common revenue and excessive unemployment charges.

The motive why weight problems are extra prevalent in such neighborhoods has been a subject of curiosity amongst each researcher and coverage makers for a very long time, and industrial amenities, like quick meals retailers and bodily exercise amenities, have attracted a lot of analysis consideration and debate.

“However, our large-scale study in Sweden, using longitudinal national registry data of more than 1,5 million adults, did not find a statistically significant association between these two types of facilities and obesity,” mentioned Kenta Okuyama, a Ph.D. pupil at Center for Primary Health Care Research at Lund University.

The researchers say it’s unlikely that the supply of quick meals retailers or lack of gyms is the cause of weight problems in Swedish adults.

“Although reducing fast food outlets or introducing physical activity facilities might, in theory, promote healthy eating and exercise, it may not be very effective in all countries and regions, because the contexts vary by its culture and lifestyle that may affect how often people utilize these facilities in their daily lives,” mentioned Kenta Okuyama.

The research did present a correlation between neighborhood deprivation and weight problems.

“The next goal is to investigate further what other factors can possibly impact the risk of obesity in Sweden,” added Kenta Okuyama.