In an attempt to make residents of South L.A. healthier, the city implemented a fast-food ban seven years ago that prevented new restaurant chains from setting up shop in the neighborhood.
A recent study found that the goal of reducing obesity was not achieved and, in fact, the percentage of people who were overweight or obese increased everywhere in L.A., according to the L.A. Times.
Not only did the percentage increase all over, but overweight and obesity rates have skyrocketed in the targeted areas since the ordinance was passed in 2008.
From 2007 to 2012, the percentage of people in South L.A. who were obese or overweight increased from 63 percent to 75 percent.
When asked what changed in L.A. since the fast-food ban began, Roland Sturm, lead author of the study, said, "Well, nothing."
The one positive outcome was that less people consumed soft drinks, according to the study.
Sturm, who is also a senior economist at Rand, said the findings should come as no surprise because "most food outlets in the area are small food stores or small restaurants with limited seating that are not affected by the policy."
Many health officials and members of the community were shocked at the results.
"We never believed it was going to be an overnight situation where all of a sudden the community was going to be healthy," L.A. Councilman Bernard C Parks told the L.A. Times.
