What is the association between hot food takeaway proliferation and health and equalities?

The proliferation of hot food takeaways is a concern for public health because close proximity to takeaway food outlets has been shown to promote consumption of less healthy food and promote obesity (1), (2), particularly among certain groups such as secondary school aged children (3).

In recent years the number of hot food takeaways has rapidly increased. In 2017, there was an estimated 56,638 hot food takeaway outlets in England, reflecting an increase of 8% (or 4000 outlets) since 2014 (4). In 2024 in England, there were 115.9 fast food outlets per 100,000 population which has increased since 2017 (5). Research illustrates that people who live or work near to a greater number of takeaway outlets are more likely to eat more takeaway food and have excess body weight (6).

Studies have shown that hot food takeaways cluster in particular areas, with strong evidence that fast food outlets are clustered in areas of higher deprivation in the UK (5), (7), (8), (9). Research also shows that the consumption of takeaway food is most strongly associated with people from lower socio-economic groups (10). This is significant because obesity prevalence is highest amongst the most deprived groups in society, with children in the most deprived parts of the country more than twice as likely to be living with obesity as those living in the least deprived parts (11).

(Image caption: The map shows the number of fast-food outlets as a percentage of all food outlets in a local authority (5), with the darker colour representing a higher percentage, or density, of fast food outlets.)

There is also research to show that higher deprivation is associated with less healthy diets, including reduced fruit and vegetable intakes (12), (13). National Diet and Nutrition Survey data indicates that there is greater intake of fruit and vegetables with increasing income in all age/sex groups (apart from men age 65 years and over) (14).

Deprivation amplification is the term used to describe the amplification of individual or household deprivation (that is, low income) by area level deprivation (for example, a lack of affordable nutritious food, or an abundance of energy dense food in the environment in which people live) (2), so that social inequalities are intensified.

Since this course was devised there has been changes in the food environment with emergence of so-called ‘dark kitchens’. These are catering operations that only offer food for home delivery. The implications of dark kitchens for promoting a healthier food environment through the planning system are yet to fully understood, however the authors have been working with colleagues to try and understand current trends and issues arising for local policy and practice (15: Townshend, T.G et al. Hidden in Plain Sight: A scoping review of ‘dark kitchens’ and the potential implications for the English planning system, Town Planning Review. (Forthcoming, 2025)), (16: Nield, L. et al. ‘What are “dark kitchens”? A consensus definition from public, local authority, business and academic stakeholders in the United Kingdom’, Perspectives in Public Health. (Forthcoming, 2025)).