A contentious ban on certain so-called fast food establishments in the most impoverished areas of Los Angeles has yielded scant impact. Researchers said that, after seven years, the weight and health of local residents has seen little change.

The 2008 law did not ban fast-food sales but placed restrictions on the opening or remodeling of certain such restaurants. The ordinance endeavored to improve health and lower the rate of obesity, hoping to have an impact on the 700,000 people living in the related neighborhoods.

Data published in the academic journal Social Science & Medicine show that dietary composition and body weight up to and including 2012 showed no detectable effect.  The impact of the ban had no measurable effect in reducing obesity or improving diets. That was the conclusion of said Roland Sturm, a PhD with the RAND Corporation and co-author of the article “Diet and obesity in Los Angeles County 2007–2012: Is there a measurable effect of the 2008 ‘Fast-Food Ban’? He said the findings should not be a surprise because most of the fast food restaurants in the area are not under the umbrella of the policy because they are not free standing. Instead, most are small food stores or restaurants with small amounts of seating.

One positive change that was noted in the area was seeing the rate of soft drink consumption dropping. However, this mirrored a trend seen in other areas of Los Angeles.

The researchers began their work by looking at the opening of new, free-standing fast food restaurants using building permits as a guide. Measurements for obesity and diet came from three randomized telephone surveys (known as the California Health Interview Survey), conducted in 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2012.

Not surprisingly, the authors noted that new retail prepared food outlets in the “intervention” area were more likely to be small food or convenience stores while new facilities outside this area were more likely to be larger and independent.

The survey reports that obesity and general incidences of being overweight went up in all areas of Los Angeles from 2007 to 2012, but the increase in the regulated area was, contrary to the intent of the regulation, much higher. The obesity rate and average body mass index were higher at the beginning of the seven years and the gap widened over the study period.

While acknowledging that the public dialogue about possible policy interventions has been “vigorous,” the authors say “very few identifiable policies have been implemented.” In fact, their opinion is that any changes brought by the regulation could not “have had a meaningful impact on dietary choices in South LA.”