July 30, 2008

Fast Food Ban

City officials take steps to help people living in South Los Angeles eat healthier

By Jessie Maxwell

The Los Angeles City Council has been worried about the health of residents in South Los Angeles, California, for some time. More than 70% of restaurants in the poor community are fast food restaurants and 30% of adults living there are obese. Most residents don't have access to a car, and this puts healthier dining options out of reach.

A Public Health Issue

On Tuesday July 29, the City Council decided to take matters into its own hands. City officials unanimously voted to ban new fast food restaurants from moving into South Los Angeles for an entire year. "Our communities have an extreme shortage of quality foods," says City Councilman Bernard Parks. Parks hopes that new eateries serving healthier fare will move in.

LEW ROBERTSON—GETTY IMAGES Double cheeseburgers sure taste delicious, but it’s not healthy to eat them every day.

This is the first time that a major city has taken action to provide its residents with healthier food choices. Though not yet an official law, many believe that the ban will bring a welcome change. South Los Angeles resident Rebeca Torres is hungry for change. "They should have better things for children," says the mother of four. "This fast food really fattens them up."

Poverty and Poor Diets

Most fast food menu items, including donuts, double cheeseburgers, French fries and fried chicken, are packed with fattening calories and dangerous cholesterol. High cholesterol is one of the leading causes of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Despite the health risks, many people in the area continue to eat fast food because it's inexpensive. Curtis English says he can eat breakfast and lunch at McDonald's for just $2.39.

Kelly D. Brownell, director of Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity has studied patterns of poverty and poor diets. "Cheap, unhealthy food and lack of access to healthy food is a recipe for obesity," he says. "Diets improve when healthy food establishments enter these neighborhoods."

The Community Redevelopment Agency plans to attract healthier restaurants to South Los Angeles by offering a package of incentives. The package includes perks like discounted electric bills, low-interest loans and tax credits. The agency has also offered to help incoming restaurants find property to build on.

Food Fight

Not everyone is pleased with the City Council's decision. People within the fast-food industry feel it is being unfairly targeted. "It's not where you eat, it's what you eat," explains president and chief executive of CKE Restaurants Andrew Pudzer.

The California Restaurant Association plans to challenge the ban.

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