AI Article Synopsis
- The income-adjusted price of fast food in China is significantly higher than in the U.S., yet the opening of Western fast-food chains correlates with increased weight gain in children.
- Despite controlling for various factors, researchers found a notable 4.8-percentage-point rise in overweight and obesity rates among children linked to the proximity of fast-food outlets.
- The impact of fast food diminishes beyond 3-4 km from the restaurant, and there is no further weight gain observed two years after its opening, with specific groups like younger children, girls, and those from high-income families being more affected.
Article Abstract
The income-adjusted price of fast food in China is five times more than in the United States, yet we show that the introduction of Western fast-food restaurants to China still leads to significant weight gain in children. Using the community-year-level presence of Western fast-food outlets, difference-in-differences estimations find a 4.8-percentage-point increase in the prevalence of overweight/obese children after controlling for child and year fixed effects. The effect decreases at a distance of 3-4 km from a fast-food restaurant, and we find no further weight gain 2 years after the restaurant's introduction. The underweight rate is not affected by fast-food introduction. The increase in fat share of energy intake serves as the channel for weight gain. Children in high-income families, younger than 11 years, and girls are more affected than other Chinese children.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hec.4381 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!