Obesity down to living close to takeaways

By Jane Kirby – 15 March 2014 03:30 PM

PEOPLE who live or work near takeaways eat more junk food and are almost twice as likely to be obese as those who have none on their doorstep, a study has found.

Consumers who are the most tempted by takeaways and fast food eat an extra 40g of high calorie food – the same as half a small serving of McDonald's fries – every week compared with those who stay away.

Working near a fast-food place or takeaway caused the biggest problems, closely followed by them being located near the home.

The research, published online in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), is the first UK study to combine data from home, work and commuting and involved 5,442 adults from Cambridgeshire aged 29 to 62.