Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
5043952 | Appetite | 2018 | 7 Pages |
In parallel with the increased prevalence of overweight and obesity, the rate of food away from home (FAFH) consumption in China has increased notably in recent years. Under the long-term urban-rural dual structure in China, the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of FAFH consumption on body mass index (BMI) by a comparative study between rural and urban areas, using 26,244 subjects from the 2004-2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey. The results indicated that urban residents have a higher rate of FAFH consumption than rural residents with the difference narrowing over time. The empirical results illustrated that the frequency of meals consumed away from home had a significantly positive effect on BMI in urban China, whereas no significant association was observed in rural China. The urban-rural difference resulted from different levels of surplus energy, which was mainly due to the different labor intensity among rural and urban residents.