The availability of fast-food restaurants along main commuting routes has been linked to unhealthy consumption trends. According to a study conducted by Adriana Dornelles, a clinical assistant professor in the ASU Department of Economics, people who passed a greater number of fast-food restaurants were found to have higher body mass indexes (BMI). The study sampled from 710 primary school employees in New Orleans also found that workers who lived near more full-service restaurants typically had lower BMIs.
Dornelles highlighted “the need to consider multiple environmental factors when examining contributors to BMI.”
“In our daily lives, we are exposed to several healthy and unhealthy food choices, which has an impact on BMI,” continued Dornelles. “The availability and variety of fast-food restaurants along out commute create endless opportunities for a quick, cheap and unhealthy meal, which results, on average, in higher body mass index.”
