This study investigates socioeconomic inequalities in exposure to the food environment and its contribution to childhood obesity. Using data from 4235 children in the Generation R Study, the researchers applied linear regression and fixed-effects models to analyze the relationship between exposure to fast-food outlets, the healthiness of the food environment, and changes in BMI, FMI, and FFMI. Children from lower-educated mothers were exposed to more fast-food outlets and experienced a greater increase in fast-food outlet exposure over time. However, changes in the food environment were not significantly associated with changes in body composition measures, except for a small increase in BMI for children from lower-educated mothers who were newly exposed to fast food. The findings suggest widening inequalities in fast-food access but limited evidence of a direct causal link between increased fast-food exposure and changes in body composition in areas with ubiquitous fast-food outlets.

Famke J. M. Mölenberg, Joreintje D. Mackenbach, Maartje P. Poelman, Susana Santos, Alex Burdorf, Frank J. van Lenthe