About the Study

What is the primary focus of this study?
The study investigates the clustering of fast-food outlets around schools in Greater London, focusing on the types of fast-food available to children and whether this varies based on area-level deprivation.​

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What additional findings are expected to be available in 2025?

The study will provide a more comprehensive analysis of where the greatest densities of fast-food outlets are across all London boroughs and use street network analysis to determine how far away from each school clusters of fast food outlets are. We also plan to look at the association between fast-food outlet density, deprivation and childhood obesity rates. 

​​​​​​​​​​​​Why was Greater London / the sub-set of boroughs chosen as the focus area?
In a follow-up study, we plan to link this fast-food outlet exposure data with data on children's fast-food consumption & BMI in London. Although the current study focuses on London, the methodology could be applied to other cities to explore similar patterns and inform local interventions.​​

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What further studies could build on this research?
Future research could examine the impact of fast-food accessibility on children’s dietary habits and health outcomes. If anyone would be interested in collaborating on this type of research, please get in touch. 

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Methodology

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How were fast-food outlets categorised by cuisine type?
A machine learning algorithm was used to classify fast-food outlets into 10 major cuisine types based on the name of the outlet. It was trained using data from the delivery platform JustEat. For more information about the algorithm see Bishop et. al 2021. 

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What is the significance of analysing fast-food outlets within a 400-meter radius of schools?
A 400-meter radius represents a 10-minute walking distance, aligning with guidelines for Fast-Food School Exclusion Zones. This is a policy measure that prevents new fast-food outlets from opening within a specified distance (e.g., 400 meters) from schools, to reduce children’s exposure to unhealthy food options.

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Findings

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How does this study differ from previous research on children’s food environments?

Unlike earlier studies, this research disaggregates fast-food outlet data by cuisine type, offering a more detailed understanding of the types of food available near schools. It also uses a range of advanced spatial analysis techniques to investigate the distribution of fast-food outlets, which have not been applied to this area of research before. 

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​What do the findings suggest about the relationship between fast-food accessibility and deprivation?
There is a clear disparity, with more-deprived areas being exposed to higher densities of fast-food outlets that primarily offer less healthy take away options (e.g., chicken shops) based on results from prior nutritional studies. 

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Implications

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What do these findings mean for local authorities and policymakers?
The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions, such as Fast-Food School Exclusion Zones, to address health inequalities and improve the food environment for children in deprived areas. By identifying areas with high fast-food density, local authorities can implement zoning policies and support healthier food initiatives to create more balanced food environments. The results from this study can be used to support planning applications for these interventions. 

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What is the role of schools in promoting healthier eating environments?

Schools can play a pivotal role by offering nutritious meal options, advocating for policies like exclusion zones or not allowing children to order take aways to be eaten at the school. ​​​