Despite some experts refuting the notion that higher availability of fast food joints may lead to increased risk of physical health problems, new research finds otherwise.
According to a study in JAMA, the widespread availability of fast-food restaurants may be responsible for the high rates of type 2 diabetes.
The study was conducted at New York University.
As part of their study, researchers scoured through more than 4 million U.S. veterans without type 2 diabetes, of which the participants enrolled in a national cohort between 2008 and 2016.
What researchers found: “These findings suggest that policies to shift the mix of fast-food restaurant and supermarket distribution in neighborhoods may be associated with reduced diabetes risk,” the authors explained in their JAMA report.
Researchers believe that neighborhood food environment measures are to some extent related to type 2 diabetes among US veterans.
“Tailored interventions targeting the availability of supermarkets may be associated with reduced diabetes risk, particularly in suburban and rural communities, whereas restrictions on fast-food restaurants may help in all community types,” the study’s authors affirmed.
