News article: Junk near schools means more obesity

Take this article with a grain of salt considering it appears that there are not clear conclusions as to why children who attend school near a fast food establishment are heavier than their counterparts.

However, it's still an interesting study none the less. It would be interesting to see what future research says, and for science to draw better conclusions on the impact this cause of obesity could have on children as they step into adulthood.

Kids who go to school a short walk from fast food outlets eat fewer fruits and vegetables, drink more soda and are more likely to be obese than kids without access to junk, according to research looking at middle schoolers and high schoolers in California.

The study, in the American Journal of Public Health, doesn’t examine why this should be the case, but says access is only part of the problem. Kids with a fast food joint close to school probably hang out there more, leading to more opportunities to eat junk and drink soda, researchers speculate.

The article is taken from Reuters.