Study: Fast-Food Curb Did Not Cut Obesity Rate In South LA
” A much-hailed law that restricted the opening of new stand-alone fast-food restaurants in one of the poorest sections of Los Angeles did not curb obesity or improve diets, a new study found.
City lawmakers passed the zoning ordinance in 2008 that limited the opening or expansion of fast-food outlets in a 32-square-mile area south of Interstate 10 that struggles with high obesity rates and other health problems.
The law, believed to be the first effort of its kind by a major city to improve public health, did not ban new eateries in strip malls.
The research by the Rand Corp. think tank found that obesity rates in South Los Angeles continued to rise after passage of the law.
” It had no meaningful effect,” Rand senior economist Roland Sturm said. “There’s no evidence that diets have improved more in South LA. Obesity and overweight rates have not fallen.” “
The money quote:
” Before the fast-food ordinance, 63 percent of South Los Angeles residents reported being overweight or obese compared to 57 percent in other parts of the county. Three years after the ordinance went into effect, 75 percent of South Los Angeles residents reported being overweight or obese compared to 58 percent in other parts of the county.”
Yet another piece of feel-good legislation impinging on the people’s right to choose proves a failure , read the rest
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