Halifax named as one of the healthiest towns in the UK

According to a recent study it was revealed that Halifax is one of the healthiest towns in the UK.
Halifax named as one of the healthiest towns in the UKHalifax named as one of the healthiest towns in the UK
Halifax named as one of the healthiest towns in the UK

The study, which is part of a wider campaign to find out how lazy the UK is, follows a recent announcement that McDonald’s plans to open a restaurant in Rutland, meaning it will now have a site in every UK county, and Greggs having just launched its 2,000th store.

Read: Shibden Hall set to close next year during filming of Gentleman Jack series twoHalifax is the ninth most healthy town in the UK according to the study, with nearby Leeds being in the top ten fast food capitals.

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Halifax has one fast food restaurant for every 14,580 people compared with Leeds that has one fast food restaurant for every 7,168 people.

According to a recent study it was revealed that Halifax is one of the healthiest towns in the UKAccording to a recent study it was revealed that Halifax is one of the healthiest towns in the UK
According to a recent study it was revealed that Halifax is one of the healthiest towns in the UK

The full list of healthy locations is:

1. Dorchester

2. Inverness

3. Torquay

4. Perth

5. Plymouth

6. Oldham

7. Aberdeen

8. Truro

9. Halifax

10. East London

East Central London ranks at the top of the table of unhealthiest locations in the UK along with Galashiels, West Central London, Newport and Glasgow to make up the top five.

Leeds is seventh in the table.

Nutritional therapist, Claudia le Feuvre explained why even with a focus on health, fast food seems to be on the rise: “The concept of “secondary gain” may have a part to play in this. We know takeaways aren’t healthy, but we perceive advantages that keep us trapped in the same cycle - in this case secondary gain might be the convenience, speed or appeasing someone else by getting a takeaway. We even justify it through all kinds of self-talk like ‘it’s been a hard week’ and ‘I deserve a treat’ which can certainly play on our minds and have us heading into the takeaway without even realising it.

“Fast foods are often formulated to achieve the ‘bliss point’. This is the optimal blend of salt, sugar and fat which triggers the brain to produce feel-good endorphins and dopamine, a neurotransmitter that will keep us coming back for more. The McDonald’s burger bun is classified as confectionary as it has such high sugar content. If it’s not the bliss point, it could be the ‘mouth feel’ that has you going back for more. Food companies work hard to perfect the perfect crunch of a chip for example.”

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Patrick Tonks, creative director at Great Bean Bags which conducted the research, adds:

“It’s crazy to see just how many of these leading high street eateries there are across the country. Following the news from McDonald’s, we wanted to see which places in the UK have the most restaurants per capita.

Birmingham is home to quite a lot of the restaurants, which is handy if you’re on the lookout for a Greggs, with 87 of them in total in the city. But whilst this research is a bit of fun, it still shows a massive demand for quick food, especially given McDonald’s and its recent plans. It seems that the market is continuing to grow and that demand is still there - and we are firm believers in exercising some balance in life.”

Read: Bake Off judge Prue Leith gives high praise to new Halifax restaurant