Distance and income affects takeaway use
On a low income? Live near a takeaway? Then you are more likely to indulge in fast food and a new study has confirmed this. Researchers in the US found poor men living between 1km and 3km from takeaways ate the most junk and fatty foods each week.
But the trend did not work in reverse - those living near supermarkets with healthier options didn’t necessarily have a higher quality diet.
The study is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
British charities say this is a worrying trend, especially in terms of those families on lower incomes. Obesity is a growing strain on the NHS and heart disease is still the UK’s biggest killer. People in lower socio-economic groups are more likely to experience heart disease.
Victoria Taylor, senior heart health dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, said: “It’s not surprising that people living near to fast food outlets tended to eat more fast food. But what’s worrying is that this seemed to be particularly true for people on lower incomes.”
