A study published in Osteoporosis International shows that living in a neighborhood where there is greater access to fast food outlets may affect bone development in early childhood.
The researchers analyzed data on 1,107 UK children that was collected in the Southampton Women's Survey, a research project that aims to learn about the dietary and lifestyle factors that influence the health of women and their children. They compared the bone mineral density and bone mineral content of children at birth, and then at age 4 or 6, to the number of supermarkets, healthy specialty stores, and fast-food outlets in their neighborhood.
The researchers found that a higher number of fast-food restaurants in the neighborhood was linked to lower bone mineral density and bone mineral content in newborns. However, this link was not significant at age 4 and 6. They also found that having more health food specialty stores in the neighborhood was linked to higher bone mineral density at age 4 and 6.
If the findings are confirmed with more extensive studies, the researchers suggest that improving the food environment could benefit children’s bone development.
