Takeaways ‘NOT a major cause of obesity’

EATING food from takeaways and restaurants is not a ‘major’ cause of Scotland’s obesity crisis, a study has found.

Contrary to popular belief, meals from outside the home are not the major factor making the nation fat. Old age and poverty were more likely to put someone at a higher risk of being overweight.

The study was carried out by scientists at the University of Aberdeen’s School of Biological Sciences. It flies in the face of concerns a £4.5billion-a-year takeaway and restaurant habit is fuelling Scotland’s obesity epidemic.

The Scottish Government is planning to introduce a ban on junk food promotions and is consulting on measures to put calorie counts on restaurant menus. Twothirds of Scots are overweight or obese.

But the researchers found no significant association with people’s use of restaurants and takeaways and their BMI. They asked 681 Scots in the Aberdeen area, whose average age was 25, about their eating habits including their daily use of food outlets and their body mass index.

Professor John Speakman, who led the study, said: ‘There is a lot of interest in whether fast food causes obesity. Governments have already made up their mind. But the evidence is quite weak.

‘We sought to address the question: Do people who have higher BMI visit fast food and full-service restaurants more and use delivery/takeaway services more often?

‘The answer was no. There was no relation between these establishments and individual BMI.

‘This doesn’t mean fast food is good for you. What we think this means is that these food sources are no worse than any other sources and are hence not a specific driver of the obesity problem.’

But other experts have warned the study does not mean such foods do no harm.