Health

More Fast Food Joints in Neighborhoods Mean More Strokes

by JeffHuang | February 22, 2009 at 12:47 pm

267 views | 4 Recommendations | 7 comments

University of Michigan conducted a study revealing the direct correlation of fast food restaurants and stroke. This means that individuals who reside in areas with an abundant supply of fast food chains increases their chance of suffering a stroke. The research also showed the ratio of one fast food restaurant in your neighbourhood equals an one percent increase in stroke possibility. Five McDonalds equals to 5% increase in your chances of stroke.

Dr. Morgenstern has commented on the results of the study. “What we don’t know is whether fast food actually increased the risk because of its contents or whether fast-food restaurants are a marker of unhealthy neighborhoods.” Morgenstern also wants to find out whether there is something completely unique in these counties that is has caused the poor health. He says that areas with lots of fast food joints should be targeted for programs on stroke prevention.

This study does not prove that fast food chains provide an aura of grease which clogs the resident's arteries magically, but that in specific neighbourhoods with an ample supply of fast food chains causes these individuals to dine there more frequently hence increasing the chances of a stroke. The researchers agree that further studies needs to be taken to understand whether fast-food chains are a marker of unhealthy neighbourhoods or that fast food directly increases the possibility of a stroke.

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Roy C

at 13:26 on February 22nd, 2009

What is amazing to know is that American blacks had fewer vitamin deficiencies than American whites in the 1950s according to research done at the time and reported in one of my many nutrition books. (I will find the report in the next few days if I have time.)

American blacks, at that time, had the cooking and eating habits of people from the rural South and ate more greens and ate a variety of foods that American whites had abandoned. American whites who kept their culinary traditions were also better off.

Over the last two generations, the off-shoring of jobs and the loss of purchasing power have meant that mothers of middle-class and working-class families have had to work outside the home.

So, pressed for time and money, fast food has become a preferred choice. The poorer Americans end up taking this route the most often, though fast food is preferred by most young people, as far as I can see.

For someone of my age (50+), it has been awful to watch as Americans have gotten fatter and fatter.

I remember my pleasant shock in 1987 when I arrived in Rome. Almost no one was markedly overweight. But, in one decade, not exactly due to fast food, but according to research, due to the absence of mothers at home to supervise food choices, I watched as Italians got fatter and fatter.

Looking at the stats, this is a world-wide trend.

polishcarpetlayer

at 14:08 on February 22nd, 2009

This is the only fast food place my neighborhood. The smell of cooking grease emanates from KFC and floats up the hill towards my house. It's doesn't just deliver fried chicken to the folks who walk into its front door, it also delivers that fried smell to everyone within 3 blocks of the place. Also the discarded KFC wrappers and buckets accumulate around the neighborhood fill the streets with trash.

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NowandThen

at 15:07 on February 22nd, 2009

Choice of fast food is averyones tastes and preferences.

In Sydney there is many fast food but the amount serving is small, their concerned with your health. (e.g the size of a burger is just for a quick snack).

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Seaink

at 16:42 on February 22nd, 2009

In-N-Out of your arteries...

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robbie-69

at 01:01 on February 23rd, 2009

As we all know the big fast food chains are now mainstream in most asian cities .Even though alot of people are at more risk of dying from diseases most asian people outlive their western counterparts with their fresh fruit, fish and rice diets .When i lived in Melbourne one of my workmates was from Vietnam , he used to talk about his village where he came from , his grandad was 102 and also his friends were also over 100 and some of them smoked as well. The likes of Shanghai , Bangkok etc, become more and more western and faster pace of living , people havent got time to cook at home , with the cleverness of advertising and mimicking the cutlure of these people ,ie the gesture in Thailand 'Sawadee khrap' which is the welcoming thing that only Thai people do , they work on the unconscious minds of the locals especially the young ones they draw them into the stores , So i think we will see alot more deaths in the next generations as these are ones that want to be western and meet all their mates for a burger. But then the saying goes every thing in moderation is okay , when we excess in something there is a problem , i admit i have a take away once a week be it Mcdonalds , pizza but then i do balance it with vegtables fish and potatoes other days.