Cummins Steven C J, McKay Laura, MacIntyre Sally
Department of Geography, Queen Mary, University of London, UK.
Am J Prev Med. 2005 Nov;29(4):308-10. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2005.06.011.
Features of the local fast food environment have been hypothesized to contribute to the greater prevalence of obesity in deprived neighborhoods. However, few studies have investigated whether fast food outlets are more likely to be found in poorer areas, and those that have are local case studies. In this paper, using national-level data, we examine the association between neighborhood deprivation and the density of McDonald's restaurants in small census areas (neighborhoods) in Scotland and England.
Data on population, deprivation, and the location of McDonald's Restaurants were obtained for 38,987 small areas in Scotland and England (6505 "data zones" in Scotland, and 32,482 "super output areas" in England) in January 2005. Measures of McDonald's restaurants per 1000 people for each area were calculated, and areas were divided into quintiles of deprivation. Associations between neighborhood deprivation and outlet density were examined during February 2005, using one-way analysis of variance in Scotland, England, and both countries combined.
Statistically significant positive associations were found between neighborhood deprivation and the mean number of McDonald's outlets per 1000 people for Scotland (p<0.001), England (p<0.001), and both countries combined (p<0.001). These associations were broadly linear with greater mean numbers of outlets per 1000 people occurring as deprivation levels increased.
Observed associations between presence or absence of fast food outlets and neighborhood deprivation may provide support for environmental explanations for the higher prevalence of obesity in poor neighborhoods.
据推测，当地快餐环境的特点是贫困社区肥胖率较高的原因之一。然而，很少有研究调查快餐店是否在贫困地区更常见，而且已有的研究都是局部案例研究。在本文中，我们利用国家级数据，研究了苏格兰和英格兰小普查区（社区）的社区贫困状况与麦当劳餐厅密度之间的关联。
2005年1月，我们获取了苏格兰和英格兰38987个小区域（苏格兰有6505个“数据区”，英格兰有32482个“超级输出区”）的人口、贫困状况以及麦当劳餐厅位置的数据。计算了每个区域每1000人中麦当劳餐厅的数量，并将这些区域按贫困程度分为五等份。2005年2月，我们使用方差分析研究了苏格兰、英格兰以及两国合并后的社区贫困状况与门店密度之间的关联。
在苏格兰（p<0.001）、英格兰（p<0.001）以及两国合并后的样本中（p<0.001），社区贫困状况与每1000人中麦当劳门店的平均数量之间均存在显著的正相关。随着贫困程度的增加，每1000人中的门店平均数量也随之增加，这些关联大致呈线性。
快餐门店的有无与社区贫困状况之间的关联，可能为贫困社区肥胖率较高的环境因素解释提供支持。
