Proximity to Fast Food Increases Risk of Childhood Obesity

A new study, recently released from the University of California, Berkeley and Columbia University, suggests that the easy availability of fast food among teenagers is playing a role in childhood obesity. Over one million California 9th graders were studied over an 8-year period, with the primary focus being placed on the child's body-fat composition and the proximity of major fast-food chains to each child's school. The study concluded that having fast-food restaurants within 530 feet or less of a school resulted in a 5.2% increase in cases of student obesity. Far be it from us to criticize the study, but we're thinking the fact that 530 feet or less is what's considered "walking distance" might also be playing a significant role in childhood obesity.