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Spurred by results from a recent Health Affairs study suggesting that foods sold in convenience stores contribute to higher rates of obesity among residents in “poor communities,” city health officials are considering a plan that would prohibit the establishment of any new convenience stories in South Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times reports. Specifically, the RAND Corp. study found that calories consumed from snacks were likely leading to higher obesity rates in South Los Angeles and that the region had a significantly higher concentration of the type of small convenience stores that sell high-calorie snacks than other sections of the city. The study suggested that, as a result of the availability of such snacks, 26 percent of South Los Angeles residents are considered obese, compared with an average of 18 percent of residents living in higher-income neighborhoods. In an attempt to address the disparity, policy-makers are considering an expansion of last year's restrictions on the establishment of new fast food restaurants within a 32-square-mile area of South Los Angeles. The Los Angeles City Council is also expected to consider a proposal that would prohibit convenience stores in South Los Angeles from building within one-half mile of one another unless they sold fresh fruit and vegetables. The proposal, which is being considered as part of the developing Southeast Los Angeles Community Plan, would only affect new development. Some concerns have been raised about the impact of restricting development in such areas, including limited access to food and the other services that convenience stores provide to residents who are more likely to walk or use mass transit than other Los Angeles communities. (Hirsch, Los Angeles Times, 10/12/09 [registration required]). (Editor's note: A study about Philadelphia corner stores mentioned in the Los Angeles Times article was funded by RWJF through its national program Healthy Eating Research.)