Health & Fitness - Living near fast-food may not up weight

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Living near fast-food may not up weight

INDIANAPOLIS (UPI) -- A U.S. study contradicts the conventional wisdom that living near a fast-food outlet increases weight in children, researchers said.

The study by Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis also contradicts the notion that living near supermarkets, which sell fresh fruit and vegetables as well as so called junk food, results in lower weight for children.

First author Robert Sandy of Indiana University and colleagues compared children's weight over time before and after one of these food purveyors moved near the children's residences.

The study, published in the National Bureau of Economic Research's Economic Aspects of Obesity, also found that residing near certain recreational amenities -- fitness areas, kickball diamonds and volleyball courts -- lowers children's body mass indexes. The researchers estimated that locating one of these facilities near the home of an overweight 8-year-old boy could lower his weight by 3-6 pounds.

Surprisingly, living near a track and field facility was associated with weight gain.

The researchers used data for more than 60,000 children ages 3-18, 53 percent African-American, 30 percent Caucasian and 12 percent Hispanic. Most were poor.

"Previous studies did not benefit from the wide range of information we acquired such as details of both sick and well doctor visits, changes in a child's address, annual food service establishment inspection data, aerial photographs of neighborhoods and crime statistics over time," Sandy said in a statement.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International

This news arrived on: 06/20/2009

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