naturalnews.com printable article

Originally published July 19 2006

When fast food restaurants outnumber grocery stores, city residents die earlier from disease

by NaturalNews

(NaturalNews) A new study found that residents in large cities who live farther from grocery stores than fast-food restaurants are more likely to die prematurely of diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

Researchers conducting the study for LaSalle Bank examined Chicago's south and west sides, where "food deserts" contain few grocery stores but abound in fast-food restaurants, and where the majority of residents are African-American.

The study measured block-by-block distance to the nearest grocery store versus the nearest fast food restaurant, and found that an average African-American block is located twice as far from a grocery store than a fast-food restaurant. Consequently, people in such areas are more likely to die early from heart disease, obesity, cancer and diabetes.

More than a half million Chicago residents live in food deserts, with 400,000 more living in areas that have imbalanced food choices, where it's easier to gain access to junk food than healthy food.

Lead researcher Mari Gallagher says the study provides a "statistically significant" link between food choices and health conditions in such food deserts, and that such areas can "pose serious health and wellness challenges to the residents who live within them and the city as a whole."

The study found that in general, obesity increases as access to a grocery store decreases -- regardless of income levels.

###






All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml