I disagree with "Living close to food is good for your waistline " ( Tribune , Oct. 28). Living near and walking to a fast food chain or restaurant will do little to help decrease your waistline as opposed to driving there. The calories lost in walking to a nearby restaurant or fast food chain do not compensate for purchasing foods that are typically high in calories and saturated fats.

This study obtained height and weight values by using outdated information from 500,000 Utah driver licenses. Those measurements are self-reported and many people fudge the values to make them look better. Economic factors also play a role in a person's health status; lower socioeconomic families may walk simply because they don't own a car. Other individual factors need to be considered and evaluated when determining why different populations are more obese than others.

Teaching about eating a healthy diet and the importance of exercise is more beneficial for the public than telling them to live close to a fast food restaurant.

Christina Jemison Mack

Orem