International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume VI, Issue IX, September 2022|ISSN 2454-6186
Worldwide Relation between Fast Food Availability and Obesity Rates
Maria Editha N. Lim
Central Luzon State University, Munoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines
Abstract:- With thirty nine percent (39%) adults worldwide as overweight or obese in 2016, obesity has alarmingly reached epidemic proportions. Obesity has been associated with decreased life expectancy, increased mortality rates and diminished quality of life. Data show that its economic costs like healthcare expenses, reduced productivity and work loss are staggering. Obese people suffer from discrimination, depression and low self-esteem. Indeed, an examination of the determinants of obesity has become imperative. This study examined how food environments, specifically the availability of fast foods are associated with obesity. Using a quantitative methodology, this study analyzed country level data from 93 countries. Correlation and regression analysis were done to determine whether relationships exist between obesity rates (dependent variable) and independent variables such as number of persons per fast food establishment, number of persons per McDonald establishment, population, globalization index, average disposal income. Correlation results show that only globalization index has a positive relationship with obesity rates. Income classification of countries, population, number of persons per McDonald’s outlet and number of persons per fast food outlet are negatively correlated with obesity. Results from the regression analysis show three predictors of obesity rates: number of persons per McDonald’s outlet and number of persons per fast food and population. These predictors can account only 25 percent of total variability in obesity levels. In conclusion, though the relationship between fastfood availability and obesity is established, fastfood availability is not a strong single cause of obesity.
Keywords: obesity, fast food availability, obesogenic environment, globalization
I. INTRODUCTION
According to the World Health Organization, there are more than 1.9 billion adults who are overweight and 600 million of these are obese (WHO, 2016). Obesity is now a global concern affecting both young and old, in both the developed and developing world. The social, economic and health costs of obesity are staggering. According to the McKiney Global Institute (2014), the global economic impact from obesity is $20 trillion dollars or 2.8% of the global GDP, more or less equivalent to the global impact from smoking, war or terrorism. Risk of premature death, disability and chronic illness adversely affect the over-all quality of life of individuals and society in general. The alarming increase in obesity steered the World Health Organization to prioritize interventions to halt obesity or at least return to or maintaining the 2010 obesity prevalence level (WHO, 2016). Studies on the global determinants of weight gain from different disciplinary perspectives were done to understand the complexity of obesity.