Since 1980, the number of obese people has increased so rapidly that it is unlikely that genetic or biological factors are the primary cause.

People's weight gain may simply be a normal reaction to a changing environment - easy access to high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and fewer opportunities to expend stored energy.

People in the city are surrounded by hundreds of fast-food restaurants, bars, and booze shops. Healthy food: fresh vegetables, fruit, and natural products are not always available. Add to this the smooth operation of public transport, which allows less walking, you get obesogenic environment - that is conducive to the development of obesity.

Its impact on people decided to estimate the researchers from New Zealand. In this country, 32-34% of adults suffer from obesity, writes ScienceAlert.

The scientists developed the "Healthy Communities Index". It includes an assessment of ten factors. Half of them characterize the depersonalized environment: the proximity and number of fast-food restaurants, takeaways, grocery and liquor stores, and gambling establishments.

The other five factors contribute to a healthy lifestyle: the availability of parks, beaches and water recreation, sports centers, vegetable and fruit shops, and supermarkets.

It turned out that the areas with the greatest number of obese people had half as much distance to the obesogenic facilities as the others.