McDonald’s is an American staple. Approximately 1 in 8 people in the United States have worked at one of the chain’s stores during their lifetime, and he has more than 14,300 stores across the United States. Along with other popular fast food franchises such as KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Dairy Queen, it is a cornerstone of American food. However, research suggests that living near many of these can be dangerous to your health.

A new study based on British data published by the American Heart Association suggests that people who live near bars, pubs and fast food restaurants may be at higher risk of heart failure. This is one of the first studies to link dietary environment to the likelihood of developing this condition, which occurs when the heart muscle struggles to properly pump blood around the body.

The biggest risk factors for heart failure include diabetes, high blood pressure, and coronary heart disease, all of which can often be related to poor diet, according to research. . For example, a 2018 American Heart Association study found that eating animal fats can increase your risk of dying from heart disease by 21%.

Of course, animal products are a staple menu item in fast food restaurants. In the United States, McDonald’s sells more than 550 million Big Macs a year, which include two processed beef patties and American cheese. In the UK, 382 million servings of fish and chips, usually an ultra-processed pub and fast food staple, are sold each year.

“Most previous studies on the relationship between nutrition and human health have focused on food quality and ignored the effects of the food environment. Our study brings the food environment into focus in nutrition research. “This highlights the importance of consideration,” Lu Qi, MD, senior author and professor in the Department of Epidemiology at Tulane University in New Orleans, said in a statement.

The study found that people who lived within 1 kilometer (or 0.6 miles) of 11 or more convenience food stores had a 16% higher risk of heart failure than those who had no convenience food stores. A restaurant near your home. Researchers also found that the risk was higher for people without a college degree and for people who live in places with little access to gyms or other similar facilities.

The researchers noted that improving access to healthy foods, fitness facilities, and making education more accessible could make a difference in heart health.

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Heart health, food access, and inequality in the US and UK

In the US and UK, not everyone currently has access to the same level of healthy food. For example, in the United States, more than 23 million people live without easy access to nutritious food. These areas are commonly referred to as food deserts (although this framework is contested by some who prefer to refer to the problem as “food apartheid”).

One in five Black households in the United States live in one of these areas, and while fast food restaurants are common, healthy, fresh produce is difficult to find. Even in the UK, a 2015 study found that more than 40% of KFC stores and 40% of McDonald’s stores are in the poorest areas of the country, making cheap processed food one of the most convenient options. is suggested. Again, this has a disproportionate impact on people of color, with research suggesting that people of color in the UK are far more likely to fall into poverty than white people.

Studies have also found that rates of heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure are more common among people of color.

“Given the clear association between black race and higher incidence of heart failure compared to white patients, and its association with worse heart failure outcomes, it is of paramount importance to pay attention to the dietary environment of this high-risk population. ,” said Dr. Elissa Drigin. Ercilia M. DeFilipis, M.S., M.S., and M.D., M.D., of Columbia University Medical Center in New York, wrote about this new discovery.

“It has already been demonstrated that there are significantly fewer supermarkets in majority-black areas compared to majority-white areas, which is likely to be inversely related to the ready-to-eat food environment. ” —Elissa Drigin, MD, MS, Ercilia M. DeFilippis, MD

Another recent study, published in the 2024 issue of the American Heart Association’s journal Go Red for Women, evaluated more than 400 pregnant Hispanic and Latina women, primarily low-income, in Los Angeles. It suggests that people with diets high in solid fats, refined grains, and dairy cheese may be at higher risk of developing preeclampsia during pregnancy.

According to the European Society of Cardiology, people with preeclampsia may be at increased risk of heart attack or stroke for 20 years after pregnancy. Studies have shown that women with preeclampsia are four times more likely to have a heart attack within 10 years after giving birth.

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A whole food, plant-based diet is not a magic cure for any condition, but it is associated with a lower risk of preeclampsia, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.

For this reason, some researchers believe that introducing fruit and vegetable prescribing, which allows doctors to prescribe fruits and vegetables to patients in addition to medicines at a discount or free of charge, could improve access and help more people It suggests that it may help you live a healthy life. Click here to learn more about the research. You can also learn more about the health benefits of whole, plant-based foods here.

Charlotte is a writer and editor based in sunny Southsea on England’s south coast.