Fast food chains are taking advantage of strategic locations and marketing tactics to influence young people’s diets—and the health consequences are staggering. A recent report by Bite Back 2030 exposes the shocking truths about how these outlets are shaping the food environment, particularly around schools and in deprived areas. This article highlights the key findings and why urgent action is needed.
Fast Food’s Influence on Young People
1. Proximity to Schools
Nearly 14.2% of schools in Great Britain now have at least one fast food outlet within 400 meters—an increase of nearly 1,000 schools in just a decade. For many students, the walk home is a gauntlet of tempting, unhealthy food options.
Five chains—Subway, Greggs, Domino’s, KFC, and Pret A Manger—account for much of this trend. Incredibly, over half of these chains' total outlets are located near schools, undermining school meal programs, even in schools striving to provide healthier choices.
2. Impact on Disadvantaged Communities
Fast food outlets are disproportionately concentrated in the most deprived areas, perpetuating cycles of poor nutrition and health disparities. Chains like Subway, Greggs, McDonald’s, and KFC have significantly higher densities in these communities compared to wealthier areas.
Children in deprived neighborhoods face double the risk of obesity compared to those in affluent areas, a gap that has only widened over the past decade.
3. Marketing Tactics Targeting Youth
The report reveals an alarming trend: fast food companies are leveraging digital marketing to target young people. Over two-thirds of 13- to 15-year-olds have at least one fast food app installed on their phones, with McDonald’s and KFC apps dominating.
These apps deliver personalized discounts, encouraging repeat purchases. Combined with flashy advertising on social media and in public spaces, these tactics ensure fast food remains top of mind for young consumers.
4. Unhealthy Eating Habits
The calorie content of meals purchased from out-of-home outlets is shockingly high. One-third of meals exceed 1,300 calories, more than twice the recommended intake for a single meal. Young people who frequently visit these outlets are at higher risk of developing diet-related diseases, such as obesity or diabetes.
A System Stacked Against Health
The ubiquity of fast food near schools and in deprived areas creates a food environment that normalizes unhealthy eating. The report highlights how this trend is shaping not just individual choices but entire communities:
- School Environments: For many young people, fast food outlets become extensions of their schools, offering a place to socialize and hang out, but rarely with healthy options.
- Deprivation Loops: In areas already lacking fresh and affordable food options, fast food chains step in, exacerbating health inequalities.
A Generation at Risk
Over a third of Year 6 children leave primary school with an increased risk of chronic, diet-related illnesses like Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
What Needs to Change?
The Bite Back report offers clear recommendations for businesses, policymakers, and communities to reverse these alarming trends:
For Policymakers:
- Regulate Proximity to Schools: Introduce stricter planning regulations to limit new fast food outlets within 400 meters of schools.
- Ban HFSS Advertising: Extend restrictions on high-fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) product advertising to outdoor spaces, apps, and social media.
- Mandate Transparency: Require businesses to report the nutritional quality of their sales and publicly track improvements.
For Businesses:
- Commit to healthier sales targets and shift marketing efforts towards promoting nutritious, sustainable options.
- Stop advertising HFSS products to children, both online and offline.
For Communities:
- Advocate for local policies that prioritize public health in planning decisions.
- Encourage schools to improve meal offerings to compete with fast food options.
The Way Forward: A Call for Change
As young advocates like Maya, 19, articulate, the lack of healthy options leaves many young people feeling trapped: “Having healthier food on offer would make a massive difference. If there aren’t any healthy options, you really feel trapped.”Fast food giants and policymakers have the power to reshape the food environment into one that promotes health rather than undermines it. Bold, collective action is essential to protect the health of future generations.
For more resources and ways to get involved, visit Biteback's website.
Sources
1. "59% increase in major food outlets since 2014"
[Bite Back 2030 - New Report: The Rise Of Fast Food On Our High Streets]
2. "Nearly 3,500 schools in Great Britain now have a major food outlet within 400 metres"
[Bite Back 2030 - New Report: The Rise Of Fast Food On Our High Streets]
3. "More than half of outlets for Domino's (76%), Subway (58%), and Greggs (56%) are located close to schools"
[Bite Back 2030 - New Report: The Rise Of Fast Food On Our High Streets]
4. "15% of children aged 2 to 15 were living with obesity, and 27% were overweight or living with obesity"
[NHS England Digital - Children's overweight and obesity]
5. "9.6% of four and five-year-olds who are obese in 2023/24"
[NHS England - Almost one in ten children obese in first year of school]
6. "22.1% of ten and eleven-year-olds living with obesity in 2023/24"
[NHS England - Almost one in ten children obese in first year of school]
7. "Obesity levels among children in deprived areas (12.9%) more than double those in least deprived areas (6.0%)"
[NHS England - Almost one in ten children obese in first year of school]
8. "Less than 20% of our School Food Champions students enjoy eating their school food"
[Bite Back - What's Really Going On With School Food?]
