Research
Adherence
Living in neighborhoods with limited access to healthy food options (food deserts) and high density of fast food restaurants is associated with higher obesity rates and poorer diet quality, particularly in lower-income and minority communities.
Be aware that your environment influences your food choices. If you live in an area with limited access to healthy food, seek out community resources, farmers' markets, or online grocery delivery to improve access to nutritious options.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Food deserts disproportionately affect lower-income, minority, and rural neighborhoods, while access to fast food restaurants and energy-dense foods is higher in lower-income and minority neighborhoods... the rate of obesity in the ninth graders increased by 5.2% for schools located within 0.10 mile of a fast food restaurant compared with schools located within 0.25 miles.
Why this rating
Most studies cited are cross-sectional, limiting causal inference, though prospective data on proximity to fast food exists.
Source
Scientific Statement: Socioecological Determinants of Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes
James O. Hill et al. · Diabetes Care · 2013
DOI 10.2337/dc13-1161
narrative_reviewCited 192×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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Related findings · Adherence
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