Research reveals a correlation between obesity rates and offerings on local eatery menus
In a groundbreaking study led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), researchers have found a significant correlation between the dietary fiber content in restaurant menus and obesity rates in neighborhoods, particularly in Boston and London. The study, titled "Data-driven nutritional assessment of urban food landscapes: insights from Boston, London, Dubai," was published this week in Nature: Scientific Reports.
The research team, which includes Michael Tufano, Fabio Duarte, Martina Mazzarello, Javad Eshtiyagh, Carlo Ratti, and Guido Camps, examined food deserts in three major global cities: Boston, London, and Dubai. The study found a **significant negative correlation between dietary fiber content in restaurant menus and obesity rates in neighborhoods**, with neighborhoods offering menus lower in dietary fiber tending to have higher obesity prevalence. This association was statistically significant in London (*p* = 0.001) and Boston (*p* = 0.004).
Other aggregate nutritional indices like the Meal Balance Index and Nutrient-Rich Food score did not show significant correlations with obesity in these urban food landscapes. This suggests that the specific nutrient composition of foods, particularly fiber, may be more indicative of obesity patterns than overall nutrient scoring metrics.
The study aggregated nutritional data derived from restaurant menus on online delivery platforms matched to a nutrient database and then linked this with area-level obesity data and socioeconomic factors. This approach allowed visualization of food environments and identification of food deserts or areas with limited access to healthy options, which tend to coincide with higher obesity rates.
In Dubai, the researchers observed a strong correlation between rental prices and the nutritional value of neighborhood-level food. Wealthier residents in Dubai have better nourishment options, while poorer neighborhoods have more fast food with lower nutritional value. In London, areas with food options that include a lot of dietary fibers, sometimes along with fruits and vegetables, tend to have better health data.
The Senseable City Lab researchers add a layer of analysis to past studies of food deserts by evaluating the complex mix of food available in any given area. The study moves toward assessing the variety of food available in areas with more limited options, not just the presence or absence of healthy food choices.
Fabio Duarte, one of the co-authors, states that the food landscape matters in relation to people's health. Tufano states that having fewer and less nutritional food items correlates with obesity, as observed in Dubai. Ratti states that the study is an example of the ways that data-rich spheres of life can be studied in close detail, particularly in cities.
Duarte expresses dissatisfaction with the idea that only the presence of fast food indicates a food desert, while the presence of a Whole Foods does not. The study supports that **neighborhood access to foods richer in dietary fiber from restaurants is linked to lower obesity rates**, pointing to targeted nutritional features as an important aspect of urban food environments influencing public health.
- The study published in Nature: Scientific Reports, led by MIT, found a significant negative correlation between dietary fiber content in restaurant menus and obesity rates in neighborhoods, particularly in Boston and London.
- The researchers, including Michael Tufano, Fabio Duarte, Martina Mazzarello, Javad Eshtiyagh, Carlo Ratti, and Guido Camps, examined food deserts in Boston, London, and Dubai.
- In London and Boston, the study found a statistically significant association between lower dietary fiber content in restaurant menus and higher obesity prevalence.
- The study suggests that specific nutrient composition, particularly fiber, may be more indicative of obesity patterns than overall nutrient scoring metrics.
- In Dubai, wealthier residents have better nourishment options with higher nutritional value, while poorer neighborhoods have more fast food with lower nutritional value, especially dietary fiber.
- The study moves towards assessing the variety of food available in areas with limited options, not just the presence or absence of healthy food choices, as done in past studies of food deserts.
- The study supports the idea that neighborhood access to foods richer in dietary fiber from restaurants is linked to lower obesity rates, highlighting targeted nutritional features as an important aspect of urban food environments influencing public health.
