Central Highlands region has most fast-food outlets per capita
The Central Highlands region is well-known as a coal and cotton centre, but it now has a new claim to fame - fast-food capital of the Sunshine State.
The central Queensland area, which includes the towns of Emerald and Blackwater, tops a league table of 34 city and regional council areas with the highest concentration of takeaway outlets per capita.
Heart Foundation Queensland health director Rachelle Foreman said the research was prompted by concern over the growing prevalence of fast-food restaurants, and called for tighter planning rules to limit their spread across the state.
Ms Foreman said with the average Queenslander eating out four times a week, high concentrations of junk food options in some areas could be contributing to the state's obesity epidemic.
But Local Government Minister David Crisafulli fired back: "There comes a time when the individual has to accept responsibility for their own actions.
"Rather than trying to find planning solutions that would be nearly impossible for councils to police, we'd all be better off focusing our efforts on changing the culture driving unhealthy eating.''
The study looked at the presence of 11 leading chains in each of the council areas.
With 12 fast-food restaurants - McDonald's, KFC, Dominos, Eagle Boys, Red Rooster, Subway and Donut King - Central Highlands has one outlet for every 2461 people, putting it above Brisbane and tourism destinations such as the Gold Coast, Whitsundays and Cairns.
"Almost two-thirds of people in Central Highlands Regional Council are overweight or obese, yet in the town of Blackwater, alone, there are only two GP clinics and a pharmacy compared to four fast-food outlets,'' Ms Foreman said.
Mayor Peter Maguire was shocked that his region topped the table. He said "fly in, fly out" and "drive in, drive out" workers from the area's mines lifted customer numbers.
"Emerald is also at the crossroads of the (Capricorn and Gregory) highways, so the travelling public pull in as well. We also have some fantastic bakeries selling wonderful sandwiches.''
Mr Maguire - who described himself as "118kg of rippling muscle'' - said fast food was one of many factors which could contribute to obesity, but the outlets were an important part of the local economy.
"These places create job opportunities for young people,'' he said.
Second-placed Goondiwindi and Southern Downs ranked fourth in the junk-food areas, and are in the electorate of state Health Minister Lawrence Springborg, who recently highlighted excess weight as the largest cause of sickness and death in Queensland.
Mr Springborg said it was "disappointing but not surprising'' that the two areas featured highly, given major highways brought hundreds of thousands of travellers through each year.
"However, we do have a growing obesity problem in Queensland and there's no doubt fast food is a major contributor,'' he said.
Justin Wynn and daughter Teak, 8, pop out for some fast food at Warwick on the southern Downs, which is in Queensland’s top 10 of fast-food restaurants per capita.
The Government last month launched an $8.5 million anti-obesity campaign.
The Gold Coast takes third spot while Brisbane, with 359 fast-food outlets - one for every 3035 residents - ranks number seven, sandwiched between Ipswich and Rockhampton.
Somerset Regional Council, 100km northwest of the capital, is bottom of the table with an Eagle Boys pizza joint and a Subway for its 22,000-strong population.
Ms Foreman said restricting the availability and visibility of fast food was a clear and effective way of reducing its consumption.
"The food and drinks sold at these outlets are mostly energy-dense and nutrient-poor - that is high in kilojoules, saturated fat, trans fat and sugar," she said.
"A meal combo at a fast-food chain can contain almost all of a person's daily kilojoule requirements and when these outlets are everywhere, we have a problem.''
Ms Foreman said the outlets were often concentrated in poorer suburbs where residents had less access to fresh, healthy food and the foundation was also concerned about the frequent proximity of fast-food restaurants to schools.
Source: News.com.au, 1 December 2013
