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Comparative Study
. 2015 May:133:205-11.
doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.03.004. Epub 2015 Mar 5.

Diet and obesity in Los Angeles County 2007-2012: Is there a measurable effect of the 2008 "Fast-Food Ban"?

Roland Sturm  1 , Aiko Hattori  2
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Diet and obesity in Los Angeles County 2007-2012: Is there a measurable effect of the 2008 "Fast-Food Ban"?

Roland Sturm et al. Soc Sci Med. 2015 May.

Abstract

We evaluate the impact of the "Los Angeles Fast-Food Ban", a zoning regulation that has restricted opening/remodeling of standalone fast-food restaurants in South Los Angeles since 2008. Food retail permits issued after the ban are more often for small food/convenience stores and less often for larger restaurants not part of a chain in South Los Angeles compared to other areas; there are no significant differences in the share of new fast-food chain outlets, other chain restaurants, or large food markets. About 10% of food outlets are new since the regulation, but there is little evidence that the composition has changed differentially across areas. Data from the California Health Interview Survey show that fast-food consumption and overweight/obesity rates have increased from 2007 to 2011/2012 in all areas. The increase in the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity since the ban has been significantly larger in South Los Angeles than elsewhere. A positive development has been a drop in soft drink consumption since 2007, but that drop is of similar magnitude in all areas.

Keywords: California; Diet; Fast food; Food environment; Los Angeles County; Overweight/obesity.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Percentages of permit/license issued after the regulation to different types of food retail outlets in South Los Angeles, other parts of Los Angeles City, and other parts of Los Angeles Countya Source: Authors’ analysis of the permit/license database of food retail outlets obtained from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. athe percentage represents the share of permit/license by types of food retail outlets among all types of food retail outlet permits/licenses issued on/after September 14, 2008 in each of the three areas of South Los Angeles, other parts of Los Angeles City, and other parts of Los Angeles County.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Percentages of permit/license issued after the regulation among active food retail outlets by types in South Los Angeles Source: Authors’ analysis of the permit/license database of food retail outlets obtained from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. athe percentage represents the share of permit/license by types of food retail outlets among existing food retail outlets as of February 2013 in each of the three areas of South Los Angeles, other parts of Los Angeles City, and other parts of Los Angeles County.
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References

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