You want to lose weight fast and you’ve tried everything, but have you ever considered that your neighborhood may be making you fat? A recent study had researchers follow women in Erie County, New York and found that where they live may affect their weight.
Location Location Location
“The availability of restaurants was related to several eating and weight control behaviors.”
– the Look AHEAD Research Group
Women whose homes were located near fast food restaurants and convenience food stores had higher BMIs than women who lived near supermarkets. Those who lived in locations near supermarkets but with fewer restaurants were found to take part in “weight control behaviors” which limited their weight gain and led to lower BMIs than women who lived within five minutes of a convenience store or restaurant.
The study discovered that women closer to the convenience stores or fast food restaurants were more likely to visit them during breakfast and lunch and in addition less likely to participate in weight control activities.
In yet another study led by Oregon Research Institute (ORI) scientist Fuzhong Li, Ph.D., it was found that people in neighborhoods that were categorized as “high-walkability neighborhoods” were more likely to lose weight and were more likely to participate in weight loss activities. Li’s study also found that those closely located to fast food restaurants were likely to visit them more often than those who lived further away.
So consider your neighborhood as a weight loss factor. According to these studies If you want to lose weight fast choose a neighborhood with a high walkability factor that is not located to fast food restaurants and you will be more likely to succeed.
You Can Beat the Odds
Don’t let the geography be a hang up. Stick to your weight loss goals by planning what you are going to eat ahead of time and avoid the convenience of fast food restaurants. Put on your pedometer and make your neighborhood your gym. Get out and start walking just don’t go walking near the convenience stores or restaurants.