Impact of Neighborhood Fast Food Restaurants on Consumption
Author Information
Author(s): Andrea S Richardson, Janne Boone-Heinonen, Barry M Popkin, Penny Gordon-Larsen
Primary Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Hypothesis
The relationship between chain fast food availability and fast food consumption varies by urbanicity.
Conclusion
Neighborhood fast food availability does not influence fast food consumption among young adults.
Supporting Evidence
- Fast food availability was not associated with weekly frequency of fast food consumption in any urban area.
- Policies aimed at reducing fast food consumption by limiting restaurant availability may not be effective.
- Future research should consider factors beyond residential neighborhoods that influence fast food consumption.
Takeaway
The number of fast food restaurants near where you live doesn't really change how often you eat fast food.
Methodology
The study used national data from young adults in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and applied multivariate negative binomial regression models.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reporting and exclusion of certain demographic groups.
Limitations
The study relied on self-reported fast food consumption, which may be subject to recall bias, and it was cross-sectional, limiting causal inferences.
Participant Demographics
Young adults aged 18-28, diverse in sociodemographic backgrounds.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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