Continuing on the topic of reversing the tide of obesity in the U.S. and protecting the health of families and children, please meet Value [the] Meal the mothership of Retire Ronald. Value [the] Meal is a Corporate Accountability International initiative holding the fast food industry accountable for a range of abuses that are making our children sick. The hardworking staff behind Value [the] Meal have assembled a compelling body of evidence demonstrating the fact that the fast food industry has prioritized short-term financial windfalls over the health of kids.

For instance, studies clearly show that the closer a fast food franchise is to schools, the higher the rates of health conditions like obesity.^1,2 Value [the] Meal launched a mapping project to demonstrate the proximity of McDonald’s and other fast food chains to schools in three major cities. You can view the map by clicking here.

The summary of their findings from the mapping project are:

National

A recent study found that neighborhoods with a high school were 30 percent more likely to have a fast food outlet within walking distance.

A recent study found increased levels of obesity at secondary schools located within 1/10 of fast food restaurants.

Chicago

In Chicago, nearly 80 percent of schools are within a ½ mile of fast food. What’s more, McDonald’s and other fast food giants have systematically located in or near schools, to make their franchises the breakfast, lunch and after-school destination for our kids.

Approximately 10 percent of Chicago secondary schools are within 1/10 of a mile of fast food, this means tens of thousands of Chicago kids are at an increased risk of obesity.

Additionally, 91 percent of all of the McDonald’s in the City of Chicago are within ½ mile of a school – well within walking distance.

These data suggest that this proximity is more than just happenstance.

Boston

The data for Boston show that – although it is a smaller city – it is right on track proportionally for the amount of fast food restaurants within walking distance to fast food restaurants.

Three of Boston high schools are within 1/10 mile of a fast food restaurant.

Additionally, over 30% of all Boston schools that we mapped are within ½ of a mile of fast food establishments. This is still easily within walking distance.

Bay Area

The data for the Bay Area, which includes Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco shows that 25 schools are within 1/10 of a mile from a fast food restaurant.

There are 53 high schools in the Bay Area that are within a ½ mile of fast food restaurants. This is a short walking distance for high schoolers and gives them easy access to fast food before, during and after school.

Over 90% of Bay Area schools are within walking distance (1 mile) from a fast food restaurant.

Obesity rates have doubled in California since 1990.  Around 30% of school children in California are overweight or obese.

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¹Currie, J., DellaVigna, S., Moretti, E., Pathania, V. (2009). The Effects of Fast Food Restaurants On Obesity and Weight Gain. National Bureau of Economic Research. Working Paper 14721. Retrieved 4.27.10. http://www.nber.org/papers/w14721.

²Davis, B., Carpenter, C. (2009). Proximity of Fast-Food Restaurants to Schools and Adolescent Obesity. American Journal of Public Health. 99(3):505–510.