(Press-News.org) WASHINGTON, D.C.—A new survey by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine reveals that 69.2% of U.S. hospitals affiliated with a medical school host at least one fast-food restaurant. The five most common fast-food restaurants located in hospitals were Starbucks, Subway, Chick-fil-A, Au Bon Pain, and McDonald’s.
“Making fast food like cheeseburgers and fried chicken available in hospitals is hazardous to the health of patients, visitors, and staff,” says Zeeshan Ali, PhD, the lead author of the paper and a nutrition program specialist with the Physicians Committee. “Hospitals are places of healing, and any food served in hospitals should help reinforce that message with plenty of healthful meals focused on fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans.”
To determine the prevalence and type of fast-food outlets at medical-school-affiliated hospitals, the Physicians Committee invited medical students at 192 medical and osteopathic schools to complete surveys on fast-food restaurants affiliated with their main teaching hospital or medical centers. A total of 255 individual completed surveys were received from 146 schools, showing that 101 schools, 69.2%, reportedly hosted at least one fast-food restaurant.
In addition to Chick-fil-A and McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut, and Wendy’s were also among the 38 fast-food restaurant chains located in the hospitals.
Most students surveyed did not think fast-food restaurants should be located in hospitals. More than half strongly or somewhat disagreed with the statement, “It is acceptable for fast-food restaurants to be in hospitals.”
“Having fast food restaurants inside hospitals is a prescription for poor health and undermines health from within,” says Roxanne Becker, MBChB, DipIBLM, a co-author of the paper and doctor with the Physicians Committee. “Hospitals should be setting the standard when it comes to good nutrition and should house restaurants that reinforce the message that foods that are low in saturated fat, cholesterol-free, and high in fiber are the healthiest options for patients, staff, and visitors.”
Research shows that eating fast food increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Eating fast food four times a week may increase heart disease risk by 80%, according to one study.
A study published in Pediatrics found that when there was a McDonald’s operating inside a hospital, parents and their children who were visiting the hospital as outpatients were more likely to purchase McDonald’s, and four times more likely to consume fast food the day of their appointment.
In 2017, the American Medical Association passed a resolution calling on health care facilities to improve the health of patients, staff, and visitors by: (a) providing a variety of healthy food, including plant-based meals, and meals that are low in saturated and trans fat, sodium, and added sugars; (b) eliminating processed meats from menus; and (c) providing and promoting healthy beverages.
The authors recommend that hospitals encourage fast-food chains to provide healthful menu options or that hospitals replace fast-food restaurants with others that provide healthful choices.
This study was designed to be an update to a 2006 study by Lenard I. Lesser that reported that 63% of U.S. medical schools were affiliated with a hospital that hosted a fast-food restaurant.
Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research, and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in education and research.
END
Survey shows nearly 70% of US hospitals affiliated with medical schools host a fast-food restaurant; Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s among most common
2024-09-04
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Study solves testosterone’s paradoxical effects in prostate cancer
2024-09-04
DURHAM, N.C. – A treatment paradox has recently come to light in prostate cancer: Blocking testosterone production halts tumor growth in early disease, while elevating the hormone can delay disease progression in patients whose disease has advanced.
The inability to understand how different levels of the same hormone can drive different effects in prostate tumors has been an impediment to the development of new therapeutics that exploit this biology.
Now, a Duke Cancer Institute-led study, performed ...
New UMass study shows that ‘super spikes’ can increase track running speed by 2%
2024-09-04
New research published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst shows that super spikes, scientifically described as advanced footwear technology (AFT) spikes, can give runners about a 2% edge in middle-distance track races, like the 800- and 1,500-meters.
“Track athletes started wearing super spikes about five years ago and they are now commonplace in elite track races,” says Wouter Hoogkamer, assistant professor of kinesiology at UMass Amherst and senior author ...
Department of Energy announces $118 million for Energy Frontier Research Centers
2024-09-04
WASHINGTON, D.C. -Ten Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) designed to bring together world-class teams of scientists for groundbreaking fundamental research have been funded in nine states by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
Since 2009, EFRCs have brought together diverse, world-class teams of scientists to perform basic research that accelerates ground-breaking scientific advances underlying energy technologies.
The centers develop powerful new tools for characterizing, understanding, modeling, and manipulating matter, while training the next-generation scientific workforce by attracting talented students passionate about energy science.
“Fundamental ...
ACC Quality Summit highlights critical value of ACC accreditation and NCDR services
2024-09-04
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) Quality Summit 2024 will take place on September 17-19 in San Antonio, bringing together cardiovascular leaders from across the nation to discuss the value of NCDR services and quality programs.
“ACC’s Quality Summit puts the spotlight on the value of ACC Accreditation and NCDR services for improving health care quality across all health systems,” said ACC Quality Summit Chair Olivia N. Gilbert, MD, MSc, FACC, and Director of Quality and Value for Cardiovascular Medicine at Atrium Health Wake Forest ...
Coatings manufacturer and ORNL partner Flexcon licenses self-healing film technology
2024-09-04
Flexcon Global has exclusively licensed two patented inventions to manufacture a self-healing barrier film from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory for research and development purposes. The film can be incorporated into vacuum insulation panels to increase the efficiency of buildings during retrofits.
Flexcon, based in Spencer, Massachusetts, provides coatings, film laminations and functional technologies to a range of markets including healthcare, sustainable packaging, transportation, consumer durables, electronics, industrial, retail and advertising.
Under ...
A new, updated account of poroid fungi in North America
2024-09-04
Poroid fungi, commonly known as "polypores," are among the most frequently encountered fungi throughout the year because of their large size and longevity. Despite the common presence of poroid fungi in North America, most guides include only a limited selection of these fungi. Poroid Fungi of North America, by Leif Ryvarden, offers a necessary, updated account of these fungi, building on the foundational work of the original two-volume North American Polypores, by Ryvarden and R. L. Gilbertson, published in 1987. This comprehensive update incorporates more than three decades of new research, featuring detailed keys, descriptions, and vibrant color ...
Collaborative research to benefit coastal flounder populations and fishers
2024-09-04
Four faculty members from three departments in the College of Natural Resources and Environment have received $1.7 million from the National Science Foundation to fund research into the dynamics of socio-environmental factors impacting coastal fisheries.
Holly Kindsvater and Willandia Chaves of the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Craig Ramseyer of the Department of Geography, and Michael Sorice of the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation will collaborate with Jonathan van Senten and Fernando Gonçalves of the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research ...
WashU scientists uncover hidden source of snow melt: Dark brown carbon
2024-09-04
Wildfires leave potent climate heaters behind in their wake, particles that enhance the absorption of sunlight and warm the atmosphere. Dropped on snow like a wool poncho, these aerosols darken and decrease the surface reflectance of snowy places.
But it was not yet understood just how different types of smoke particles contribute to these effects. In a study recently published in npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis model how dark-brown carbon (d-BrC) – light absorbing, water insoluble organic carbon – from wildfires plays a much larger role as a snow-warming agent than previously recorded. ...
Young male northern elephant seals are captured on camera returning to a deep sea cabled observatory off Canada's British Columbia coast, demonstrating new insight into fish foraging behavior
2024-09-04
Young male northern elephant seals are captured on camera returning to a deep sea cabled observatory off Canada's British Columbia coast, demonstrating new insight into fish foraging behavior
###
Article URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0308461
Article Title: Deep-sea cabled video-observatory provides insights into the behavior at depth of sub-adult male northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris
Author Countries: Canada, USA, Spain
Funding: Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) is funded through the Canada Foundation for Innovation-Major Science Initiative ...
Both cats and dogs often enjoy playing fetch with their owners
2024-09-04
This release has been removed per request of the submitting organization due to a duplicate submission. You can find the embargoed release here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1055807
For more information, please contact: Charlotte Bhaskar, cbhaskar@plos.org END ...