Propinquity and Obesity

Propinquity has two popular meanings – nearness from a place point of view, and nearness in a genetic sense. Both meanings can have a role in the causation of overweight and obesity, but at the present I’m concerned with nearness or proximity in space (or place). A year ago I discussed the risk of becoming overweight if one’s friends and neighbors were fat. And some weeks back I reported on self-positioning of overweight people close to the buffet, given the chance. Now there’s a third proximity risk factor, particularly for the young.

According to a study reported in the American Journal of Public Health, fast food restaurants located near schools are associated with adolescent obesity. Texan researchers examined the links between fast food restaurants within half a mile of middle and high schools in California and obesity in the students. Data from more than 500,000 students showed that proximity was associated with eating fewer servings of fruits and vegetables, drinking more sodas, and being more likely to be overweight or obese.

Of course, this finding isn’t really surprising. Owners locate their restaurants where they’ll find customers most easily. But it reinforces the role that self-discipline will be needed for people threatened with an overweight problem; they should be prepared to take a healthy walk to their future healthy meals.