Fast food consumption has become a significant dietary trend, especially with the rise in eating away from home. A recent study investigated the relationship between the availability of both full-service and fast-food restaurants and the demographic characteristics of neighborhoods across the United States, focusing on race, ethnicity, and income.
This comprehensive research analyzed data from 28,050 ZIP codes, covering a population of over 280 million people. By linking restaurant outlet data with 2000 Census Bureau data, researchers used statistical models to identify patterns in restaurant distribution across different types of neighborhoods.
The study revealed some notable disparities. Higher-income neighborhoods, as well as predominantly white and Hispanic neighborhoods, were found to have a greater number of both full-service and fast-food restaurants compared to lower-income and predominantly Black or racially mixed neighborhoods. Interestingly, neighborhoods with near-low and middle-income levels showed the highest restaurant availability overall, surpassing even high-income areas. These near-low and middle-income areas had approximately 1.24 and 1.22 times more full-service restaurants, and 1.34 and 1.28 times more fast-food restaurants, respectively, than high-income neighborhoods.
Specifically, predominantly Black neighborhoods presented a striking contrast, having only about 58.2% and 59.3% of the number of full-service and fast-food restaurants found in predominantly white neighborhoods. While the study found no significant differences in the ratio of fast-food to full-service restaurants nationwide based on income, race, or ethnicity, a different picture emerged in urban areas.
Within urban settings, near-low, middle, and near-high-income neighborhoods, along with predominantly Black neighborhoods, showed a moderately higher proportion of fast-food restaurants relative to the total number of restaurants compared to high-income and predominantly white neighborhoods. This suggests that in urban areas, racial and economic disparities may be more pronounced when it comes to the type of restaurant options available.
The study’s conclusion points to a potential link between the higher proportion of fast-food restaurants in predominantly Black urban neighborhoods and racial differences in obesity rates. This highlights the importance of considering the food environment and its potential contribution to health disparities across different communities. Further research is needed to fully understand the complex interplay between restaurant availability, dietary choices, and health outcomes in diverse neighborhoods.
