Title: Toxic Food Environment | Obesity Prevention Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Headings: Toxic Food Environment
Toxic Food Environment
How Our Surroundings Influence What We Eat
Food Environment Research by Setting
Families
Worksites
Schools
Neighborhoods
Societal Influences that Shape Food Choices and Obesity Risk
Food Marketing
Government Food Policy and Pricing
Social Networks and Norms
The Bottom Line: The “Toxic Food Environment” Is a Complex Problem That Needs a Multifaceted Fix
References

Content: 15) Another is time: It takes longer to prepare healthful meals than to buy convenience foods or fast food. But people in lower-income households, often single parents working full time and taking care of children, may have less time for meal preparation and other household chores. ( 1, 15, 16)
Worksites
Employed adults in the U.S. spend about one-quarter of all of their time at work. ( 17) Worksites often provide easy access to unhealthy foods in vending machines and limited access to healthier options, such as fruits and vegetables. ( 18) A number of studies have shown that making changes to the workplace food environment, such as offering more healthy foods in company cafeterias, results in improved diet quality. ( 19)
Work environments can also increase the risk of obesity arising from job stress and work-related fatigue, which are linked to poor diets and reduced physical activity. ( 17) Time at work also plays a role: Shift workers and employees working longer-than-usual hours every week have a higher risk of obesity. ( 17)
Schools
Just as employed adults spend most of their day at work, children spend much of their day at school.