Los Angeles puts poor part of city on diet with fast food restaurant ban in obesity fight

 

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 2:55 PM on 30th July 2008

 

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Fast food restaurants are banned in a part of Los Angeles for a year.

 

The city's council voted for the year-long moratorium to give the city time to attract restaurants that serve healthier food.

 

No more restaurants such as McDonald's will allowed to set up in the area, which is deprived and has a high number of these eateries and an above average rate of obesity.

 

The action, which the mayor must still sign into law, is believed to be the first of its kind by a major city to protect public health.

 

Fast food restaurants have been banned in parts of LA as the city struggles to combat obesity(file photo)

'Our communities have an extreme shortage of quality foods,' City Councilman Bernard Parks said.

Representatives of fast-food chains said they support the goal of better diets but believe they are being unfairly targeted.

They say they already offer healthier food items on their menus.

'It's not where you eat, it's what you eat,' said Andrew Puzder, president and chief executive of CKE Restaurants, parent company of Carl's Jr.

 

'We were willing to work with the city on that, but they obviously weren't interested.'

 

The California Restaurant Association and its members will consider a legal challenge to the ordinance, spokesman Andrew Casana said.

 

Thirty percent of adults in South Los Angeles area are obese, compared to 19.1 percent for the metropolitan area and 14.1 percent for the affluent Westside, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

 

Research has shown that people will change eating habits when different foods are offered, but cost is a key factor in poor communities, said Kelly D. Brownell, director of

Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.

 

'Cheap, unhealthy food and lack of access to healthy food is a recipe for obesity,' Brownell said.

 

'Diets improve when healthy food establishments enter these neighborhoods.'

A report by the Community Health Councils found 73 percent of South Los Angeles restaurants were fast food, compared to 42 percent in West Los Angeles.

 

South Los Angeles resident Curtis English acknowledged that fast food is loaded with calories and cholesterol.

 

But since he's unemployed and does not have a car, it serves as a cheap, convenient staple for him.

 

'I don't think there's too many fast food places,' he said. 'People like it.'

Others welcomed an opportunity to get different kinds of food into their neighborhood.

 

'They should open more healthy places,' Dorothy Meighan said outside a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet. 'There's too much fried stuff.'

 

Los Angeles' ban comes at a time when governments of all levels are increasingly viewing menus as a matter of public health.

 

Last Friday, California became the first state in the nation to bar trans fats, which lower levels of good cholesterol and increase bad cholesterol.

 

The moratorium, which can be extended up to a year, only affects standalone restaurants, not eateries located in malls or strip shopping centers.

 

It defines fast-food restaurants as those that do not offer table service and provide a limited menu of pre-prepared or quickly heated food in disposable wrapping.

Good idea :)

That's what LA needs definitely

 

I was chubby for a while cuz I lived next to McDonalds :lol:

Good idea :)

 

Fascism is always a good idea!

 

Next sugar should be banned, or anything but fruit could be banned. Its up to the government to control every aspect of our lives! Our leaders have proven they can run the government, so they are capable of ruling our lives!

 

People can make choices for their lives, they're not hurting anyone else by being fat. If you want to destroy your body, it should be your right.

^agree

Now this is good news :smug:

Definitely one step closer to breaking the fast food habit everywhere.

 

((although I have to say that it's still tempting to crave for Pink's))

Now this is good news :smug:

Definitely one step closer to breaking the fast food habit everywhere.

 

((although I have to say that it's still tempting to crave for Pink's))

 

What's Pink's? A gay fast-food chain??:confused:

What the fuck is wrong with you people?

we're making choices for our lives mrcool ;)

No it sounds like a lot of people support putting their free will in the governments hands. What you just said is the opposite of your first post.

Yay McDonald's?

 

No!:angry:

 

 

Yay Subway!

 

 

Viva Subway!

 

 

 

(Eat Fresh;))

Yay McDonald's?

 

No!:angry:

 

 

Yay Subway!

 

 

Viva Subway!

 

 

 

(Eat Fresh;))

 

True. Subway is by the far the best "fast food" chain.;)

^ It is, but it's still shit, almost every sub has a ton of sodium.

oh well.I'm not a great fan of fast-food.

In-N-Out :heart:

Bang goes will power :dozey:

Pfft, pretty much since...whenever...

 

On another hand, it's not us meek people that's been at fault for the whole obesity crisis.

Pfft, pretty much since...whenever...

 

On another hand, it's not us meek people that's been at fault for the whole obesity crisis.

 

No - just weak people!!:rolleyes:

People have to learn what to eat, I like a burguer some days (not often) but well, I'm really not a burguer fan hehehe

Its a smart idea but seeing as I am immature and irresponsible I would die!

It's a good idea, however McDonalds and co will find a loophole in the law which will allow them to operate (like providing 'table service')

It's a good idea, however McDonalds and co will find a loophole in the law which will allow them to operate (like providing 'table service')

 

Or maybe even table dancing....................... :rolleyes:

something off the hot 'n' saucy menu? :thinking:

something off the hot 'n' saucy menu? :thinking:

 

A McSleaze??:rolleyes:

if you McSay so :laugh3: