Could Banning Fast Food Near Schools Slow Obesity

CHARLOTTE, NC — Waging war on obesity in Mecklenburg County by banning fast food near schools is a proposal getting mixed reviews from local lawmakers.

Fast food restaurants pepper the Queen City, but the County Health Director Dr. Marcus Plescia says banning them from coming near your kid’s school could slow childhood obesity.

“It’s an approach that is really starting to catch on,” said Dr. Plescia.

He says cities like Austin, Texas have similar zoning rules.

“You know, I don’t think we need to be the fast food police,” said County Commissioner Pat Cotham.

Dr. Plescia proposed the idea to commissioners Tuesday.

He says the county’s obesity rate was nearly 60 percent in 2015.

He says childhood obesity is one of the top five health problems in the county.

He’s proposing a zoning law keeping fast food restaurants from building near new schools.

“We need to get aggressive about this, and one of the approaches is to create environments around school that are really oriented toward health,” said Dr. Plescia.

County Commissioner Cotham says the health director is doing his job, but commissioners aren’t putting much weight on the idea.

“We all kind of rolled our eyes,” laughed Cotham. “Because I was also thinking how teenagers often work at fast food places near their high school. And in for a lot of kids, it’s really important, that job.”

Voters and parents split on what to invest in the issue.

“I think they should really work on schools first,” said one parent, Carley Englander.

“It would kind a help keep them on the school diet,” argued James Melicia.

The health department is already working with Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools.

“They’ve done a great job nutrition services, you know, really making sure the food is more healthy, really looking at what’s offered in vending machines,” said Dr. Plescia. “That’s all forwarded when kids can just walk a block up the street to a place that traditionally doesn’t have healthy food.”