Measuring the association between the opening of a new multi-national restaurant with young people's eating behaviours

• Published in: Appetite Vol. 203; p. 107651
• Main Authors: Moore, Helen J., O'Malley, Claire L., Lloyd, Scott, Eskandari, Fatemeh, Rose, Kelly, Butler, Mark, Townshend, Tim G., Brown, Heather, Clarkson, Daniel, Lake, Amelia A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2024
• Subjects: Eating behaviours; Fast-food; Natural experiment; Out-of-home eating; Town planning; Eating behaviours; Fast-food; Out-of-home eating; Town planning; Natural experiment; fast-food; eating behaviours; natural experiment; out-of-home eating; town planning
• ISSN: 0195-6663; 1095-8304; 1095-8304
• DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107651

Out-of-home eating (takeaway, take-out and fast-foods) is associated with intakes of higher energy and fat, and lower intakes of micronutrients, and is associated with excess weight gain. In 2017, a unique opportunity arose to measure the association between the opening of a new multi-national fast-food restaurant (McDonald's) and consumption of fast-food on young people aged 11–16. This study uses a repeated cross-sectional design to explore group level change over time with respect to out-of-home eating behaviours of young people. Two secondary schools in Redcar and Cleveland agreed to participate and facilitated the completion of a questionnaire on their pupils eating behaviours at three timepoints a) prior to the new restaurant opening, b) three months post-opening and c) nine months post opening. Reported frequency of visits to McDonald's showed a statistically significant increase in visits between 3 and 9 months of the restaurant opening. This research asks and explores the question of whether the introduction of a new multi-national fast-food restaurant influences eating habits of young people attending schools near the new outlet. •We examine changes in out-of-home eating habits in young people (11–16 years old).•A McDonald's restaurant and ‘drive-thru’ opened in a new area in 2017.•A repeat cross-sectional design was used to explore group level change over time.•Eating behaviour questionnaires were completed at three timepoints.•Visits to McDonald's statistically significantly increased between 3 and 9 months of opening.