Is Fast Food Feeding Australia's Obesity Crisis?
Exploring the Links Between Income, Fast Food, and Health
The clustering of fast food outlets in lower income areas is a common pattern seen in urban planning and food
access research. Lower-income areas tend to have higher exposure to fast food options due to economic pressures on businesses to
locate in areas where demand for cheap, convenient food is higher.
The wealthiest suburbs along the South Eastern bayside region, such as Toorak, Armadale, and Albert Park, which have median incomes
over $75k, contain zero fast food outlets. In contrast, Tarneit, with a far lower median income of $49k but a comparable population
size, has seven fast food outlets!
The concentration of fast food chains in metropolitan areas, particularly around Melbourne, is
likely influenced by high population density.
The bubble chart above shows that population size is a primary driver of fast food outlet density rather than median
income alone. However, it is worth noting that lower-income regions with high population densities tend to have a
higher number of fast food locations, exemplified by the heatmap below.
For instance, councils with some of the highest density of fast food outlets, such as Whittlesea (29 total) and
Brimbank (31 total) consistently have lower median incomes, around $50k.
This distribution contributes to the “food swamp” phenomenon, where unhealthy food options are plentiful, leading to
poor dietary choices and higher incidences of obesity, diabetes, and other health issues.
According to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), nearly two-thirds (67%) of Australian
adults were classified as overweight or obese in 2017-2018. The visualization above reflects this concerning trend,
with the majority of Victoria showing overweight and obesity rates well above 50%.
The choropleth map above
visualises overweight and obesity rates across different councils in Victoria, showing higher
rates of obesity in suburban and regional areas, especially around Melbourne's fringes.
The urban core shows lower obesity rates, particularly among the wealthier South Eastern suburbs, which may correlate with access to healthier
food options and better infrastructure for physical activity.
This scatter plot reveals a clear inverse relationship between median income and obesity rates, where higher-income
areas exhibit lower obesity rates.
This trend reflects the broader socio-economic factors that influence diet
and lifestyle. Higher-income individuals are often more able to afford fresh produce and healthier food option
and are more likely to live in areas where these options are readily available.
Increased opportunities to access fast food restaurants in areas with greater levels of disadvantage
may serve to shift norms towards unhealthy choices amongst vulnerable populations.