Blame convenience stores for obesity among kids

TORONTO - Kids living closer to convenience stores are more likely to be obese, a new study says.

”Access to convenience stores seems more relevant in obesity than access to fast food restaurants,” says senior researcher Tracie Ann Barnett, professor in social and preventive medicine at the University of Montral.

Barnett suggests that schools should establish zones that are free of convenience stores and work harder to compete against fast food chains.

The main purpose of the study is to better understand the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes in children.

”In 2005, some Montreal children and their families were recruited for the investigation. They came from various neighbourhoods. Of the underage participants, 42 percent were overweight and 22 percent were outright obese,” said a Montreal University release.

Families who took part in the Quebec Adipose and Lifestyle Investigation in Youth (QUALITY) study will continue to be monitored to verify if proximity to the park has an impact on the long-term weight of children.

The QUALITY team includes researchers from six Quebec institutions, including the University of Montral, Concordia University, Universit Laval, McGill University and l’INRS-Institut Armand Frappier.