Talk about environmental hazards: A new study finds that people who are exposed to fast-food joints near their home, work, and commute are more likely to eat those bad-for-you foods, have a higher body mass index (BMI), and ultimately become obese.
For the study, researchers from the University of Cambridge analyzed data on the height and weight of more than 5,000 people, which allowed them to calculate participants' BMIs. Then, they compared these stats to the answers from participants' self-reported questionnaires about their fast-food consumption and the number of fast-food places within a one-mile radius of their work and home addresses (this determined their level of fast-food exposure).
The researchers ended up with a ton of interesting findings: First, they learned that participants' exposure to fast-food outlets was "positively and significantly" associated with their consumption of fast food—and this was especially true when the drive-thrus were close to their places of work. (Interestingly, participants were exposed to 48 percent more fast-food places at work than at home, on average).
Second, participants who had the highest levels of fast-food exposure in all environments combined—home, work, and their commute—had a BMI that was 1.21 times greater than those who were least exposed. (Again, this association was especially strong for participants most exposed to fast food near their job.) Finally, the people who were near tons of fast-food outlets at home were more than twice as likely to become obese compared to those who were least exposed.
That makes sense—the closer you are to fast food, the more tempting it is and the easier it is to get your hands on it. But this doesn't mean that you're doomed to be overweight if you live or work near lots of burger and pizza joints. Just use these tips to knock out fast-food cravings. And if you must hit the drive-thru, make sure to choose one of these three healthy fast-food orders.