Exploring the Relationship between the Fast Food Environment and Obesity Rates in the US vs. Abroad: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Numerous studies have explored the relationship of the local food environment and obesity. However, results have been inconsistent, and existing literature reviews have not taken into account study quality or the heterogeneity of measures of the local food environment. Methods: We used systematic keyword searches in Pubmed and Scopus to identify studies conducted in the US and Canada that assessed the relationship of obesity to the local availability of supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, fast food restaurants or indices combining these measures. We developed a quality metric based on study design, exposure and outcome measurement and analysis, and then assigned each study a score. Results: We identified 71 studies representing 65 cohorts. Overall, study quality was low; 60 studies were cross-sectional. The approach to measuring local food environments varied: fast food availability was measured 31 ways in 44 studies. Associations between food outlet availability and obesity were predominantly null. In adults, we saw a trend among the non-null associations toward inverse associations between supermarket availability and obesity (22 inverse, 4 direct, 67 null) and direct associations between fast food and obesity (29 direct, 6 inverse, 71 null). In children, we saw robust direct associations between fast food availability and obesity in lower income populations only (12 direct, 7 null). In adults, indices made up of multiple types of outlets had resulted in the most consistent associations with obesity (18 expected, 23 null). Limiting analyses to higher quality studies did not affect results. Conclusions: We found limited evidence for associations between the local food environment and obesity. Quality issues, however, make causal inference difficult. Absent compelling direct evidence linking local food environments to obesity, policy makers will need to rely on other types of evidence as they address the environmental changes that contribute to the steep increase in obesity in the US.

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A Time-Based Objective Measure of Exposure to the Food Environment

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16071180 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (7) ◽

pp. 1180 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jason Scully ◽

Anne Moudon ◽

Philip Hurvitz ◽

Anju Aggarwal ◽

Adam Drewnowski

Keyword(s):

Food Environment ◽

Fast Food ◽

Objective Measure ◽

Mobility Patterns ◽

Time Duration ◽

Positioning Systems ◽

Global Positioning ◽

Fast Food Restaurants ◽

Logistic Regressions ◽

The Relationship

Exposure to food environments has mainly been limited to counting food outlets near participants’ homes. This study considers food environment exposures in time and space using global positioning systems (GPS) records and fast food restaurants (FFRs) as the environment of interest. Data came from 412 participants (median participant age of 45) in the Seattle Obesity Study II who completed a survey, wore GPS receivers, and filled out travel logs for seven days. FFR locations were obtained from Public Health Seattle King County and geocoded. Exposure was conceptualized as contact between stressors (FFRs) and receptors (participants’ mobility records from GPS data) using four proximities: 21 m, 100 m, 500 m, and ½ mile. Measures included count of proximal FFRs, time duration in proximity to ≥1 FFR, and time duration in proximity to FFRs weighted by FFR counts. Self-reported exposures (FFR visits) were excluded from these measures. Logistic regressions tested associations between one or more reported FFR visits and the three exposure measures at the four proximities. Time spent in proximity to an FFR was associated with significantly higher odds of FFR visits at all proximities. Weighted duration also showed positive associations with FFR visits at 21-m and 100-m proximities. FFR counts were not associated with FFR visits. Duration of exposure helps measure the relationship between the food environment, mobility patterns, and health behaviors. The stronger associations between exposure and outcome found at closer proximities (<100 m) need further research.

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The relationship of the local food environment with obesity: A systematic review of methods, study quality, and results

Obesity ◽

10.1002/oby.21118 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 23 (7) ◽

pp. 1331-1344 ◽

Cited By ~ 203

Author(s):

Laura K. Cobb ◽

Lawrence J. Appel ◽

Manuel Franco ◽

Jessica C. Jones-Smith ◽

Alana Nur ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Food Environment ◽

Local Food ◽

Study Quality ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Relationship

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The food environment and adult obesity in US metropolitan areas

Geospatial health ◽

10.4081/gh.2015.368 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Akihiko Michimi ◽

Michael C. Wimberly

Keyword(s):

Metropolitan Area ◽

Food Environment ◽

Fast Food ◽

Metropolitan Areas ◽

Food Environments ◽

Fast Food Restaurant ◽

Obesity Prevalence ◽

Large Share ◽

Individual Level ◽

The Us

This research examines the larger-scale associations between obesity and food environments in metropolitan areas in the United States (US). The US Census County Business Patterns dataset for 2011 was used to construct various indices of food environments for selected metropolitan areas. The numbers of employees engaged in supermarkets, convenience stores, full service restaurants, fast food restaurants, and snack/coffee shops were standardised using the location quotients, and factor analysis was used to produce two uncorrelated factors measuring food environments. Data on obesity were obtained from the 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Individual level obesity measures were linked to the metropolitan area level food environment factors. Models were fitted using generalised estimating equations to control for metropolitan area level intra-correlation and individual level sociodemographic characteristics. It was found that adults residing in cities with a large share of supermarket and full-service restaurant workers were less likely to be obese, while adults residing in cities with a large share of convenience store and fast food restaurant workers were more likely to be obese. Supermarkets and full-service restaurant workers are concentrated in the Northeast and West of the US, where obesity prevalence is relatively lower, while convenience stores and fast-food restaurant workers are concentrated in the South and Midwest, where obesity prevalence is relatively higher. The food environment landscapes measured at the metropolitan area level explain the continental-scale patterns of obesity prevalence. The types of food that are readily available and widely served may translate into obesity disparities across metropolitan areas.

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Erratum: The relationship of the local food environment with obesity: A systematic review of methods, study quality, and results

Obesity ◽

10.1002/oby.21363 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 23 (12) ◽

pp. 2517-2519 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Laura K. Cobb ◽

Lawrence J. Appel ◽

Manuel Franco ◽

Jessica C. Jones-Smith ◽

Alana Nur ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Food Environment ◽

Local Food ◽

Study Quality ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Relationship

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Analysis of the survival capacity of mutual funds: a systematic review of the literature

International Journal of Managerial Finance ◽

10.1108/ijmf-10-2016-0185 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 440-474 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Laura Fabregat-Aibar ◽

Antonio Terceño ◽

M. Glòria Barberà-Mariné

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Literature Review ◽

Mutual Funds ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Review Of The Literature ◽

Academic Interest ◽

Content Type ◽

The Us ◽

Survival Capacity ◽

The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to carry out a literature review to determine which variables have the greatest impact on the survival capacity of mutual funds, and if these variables also have an influence on the various ways in which mutual funds disappear. Design/methodology/approach The authors carry out a systematic review of the literature on mutual funds and identify the main features that affect their capacity for survival. Findings The results show that most of the articles are based on data from the US market and that the two most studied variables are the return and the size of the fund. Furthermore, the relationship between the behaviour of variables and the disappearance of funds has mainly been analysed by comparing surviving and non-surviving funds, but without specifying the way in which they disappeared. Finally, the results show that there is no single methodology for examining the survival of funds. Originality/value In the financial literature, no previous literature review has focused on the factors that influence the survival capacity of mutual funds. The authors consider that this review will provide a broader and more realistic vision of the level of academic interest in this field and identify any gaps that exist in the literature available.

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Ultra-processed Food Intake and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: a systematic review

Anales de la Real Academia Nacional de Farmacia ◽

10.53519/analesranf.2021.87.03.09 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 87 (87(03)) ◽

pp. 331-338

Author(s):

Amelia Marti del Moral ◽

Sofía Aimi Arrúe Ishiyama

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Fast Food ◽

Classification Systems ◽

Processed Food ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Pubmed Database ◽

Unhealthy Diet ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

The Relationship

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. An unhealthy diet, among other risk factors, can be involved in the development of the disease. This type of diet is usually characterized by being low in unprocessed foods (fruits, vegetables, etc.) and high in ultra-processed foods (UPFs). It has been suggested that a high consumption of UPFs could be related to the development of CVD. However, as UPFs are a broad group in which multiple foods with different compositions coexist, it is not only difficult but also a generalization to draw a conclusion about their possible association. The present systematic review studies the relationship between the consumption of UPFs and the risk of CVD. A systematic review was performed in the PubMed database. PRISMA criteria were applied to identify articles that met the following criteria: studies performed in humans, in English or Spanish, and be original articles, excluding meta-analyses and reviews. The search was performed using the terms “Ultra-processed food” or “Fast food” and “Cardiovascular disease” or “Cardiovascular risk factor”, with a total of 10 articles included: 4 prospective cohort studies, 4 cross-sectional studies and 2 modeling studies. An association between the consumption of UPFs and CVD was found in all the studies analyzed. However, there are limitations with respect to the use of different food classification systems according to the degree of processing. This systematic review concludes that more studies are needed to establish with greater evidence the relationship between the consumption of UPFs and risk of CVD.

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Food Environment and Health

10.1093/oso/9780190843496.003.0009 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jason Block ◽

Michael Seward ◽

Peter James

Keyword(s):

Low Income ◽

Food Environment ◽

Fast Food ◽

Research Field ◽

Environment And Health ◽

Fast Food Restaurants ◽

Methodological Approaches ◽

Obesity Hypertension ◽

The Relationship

This chapter provides an overview of research on the relationships between food establishments, including supermarkets, fast food restaurants, and others, and diet and health outcomes, including obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. This chapter presents mechanisms underlying these potential relationships, explains different methodological approaches to research on this topic, discusses how relationships between the food environment and outcomes might differ across populations (e.g., children, low-income individuals) and geographies (e.g., urban and rural geographies), and identifies strengths, limitations, and barriers to this research field. This chapter also reviews literature on the relationship between the alcohol environment and health and describes novel approaches to examining the food environment.

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Association of Neighborhood Food Environment and Physical Activity Environment With Obesity: A Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Study of Fifth- to Ninth-Grade Children in Japan

INQUIRY The Journal of Health Care Organization Provision and Financing ◽

10.1177/00469580211055626 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 58 ◽

pp. 004695802110556

Author(s):

Kan Oishi ◽

Takumi Aoki ◽

Tetsuo Harada ◽

Chiaki Tanaka ◽

Shigeho Tanaka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

High School Students ◽

Food Environment ◽

Fast Food ◽

Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Ninth Grade ◽

Physical Activity Environment ◽

Environment Model ◽

Convenience Stores ◽

The Relationship

Objective: This study examined the relationship between neighborhood food and physical activity environment, and obesity among elementary and junior high school students in Japan. Methods: The participants were fifth- to ninth-grade children (n=7277), who were attending municipal schools in Japan. Percent overweight (POW) was calculated using their age, gender, height, and weight, which were collected through a questionnaire. A POW of < 20% was considered non-obese, while ≥ 20% was considered obese. Furthermore, using a geographic information system, we investigated the density of convenience stores, fast-food stores, casual restaurants, supermarkets and department stores, parks, sports facilities, stations, and intersections in the school district. Additionally, from the census, we obtained information regarding the population density of the municipality where the participants’ schools were located. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between obesity and food environment (the food environment model), between obesity and physical activity environment (the physical activity environment model), and among obesity, food, and physical activity environment (the food and physical activity environment model). Results: In the food environment model and the food and physical activity environment model, the density of convenience stores showed a significant positive association. In the physical activity environment model, the density of stations showed a significant negative association. Conclusion: This study’s findings can contribute to the development of appropriate community interventions for improving children’s health in Japan and similar areas.

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A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between Problem Finding and Creativity

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e510652017-001 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Ahmed M. Abdulla ◽

Sue Hyeon Paek ◽

Rodney Dishman ◽

Bonnie Cramond ◽

Mark A. Runco

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Problem Finding ◽

The Relationship

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