Association between food-outlet availability near secondary schools and junk-food purchasing among Australian adolescents

Objectives: We sought to investigate the association between food-outlet availability near Australian secondary schools and frequency of Australian students’ discretionary food purchases. Methods: Secondary-school students in Perth (Western Australia) reported the frequency of their discretionary food purchases from food outlets near their school (17 schools, n = 2389 students grades 7–12, ages 12–17 y). Food-outlet availability was sourced from local governments, then geocoded. A mixed-effects model was used in analyses. Results: Almost half of students (45%) purchased discretionary foods from food outlets near their secondary school at least weekly. Only the density of top-ranking fast-food chain outlets near secondary schools was associated with a significant increase in the frequency of discretionary food purchases. Conclusions: Availability of major fast-food chains near Australian secondary schools appears to be a key driver of Australian students’ discretionary food purchasing. Restricting these outlets near schools may help reduce adolescents’ discretionary food intake.