The number of takeaways in Brighton and Hove has soared and is among the highest in the country, according to new figures from the government’s Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).
In part, the figures are believed to reflect the local economy’s reliance on tourism and the presence of tens of thousands of students.
The new figures suggest that last year Brighton and Hove had 140.2 fast food outlets per 100,000 population – or almost 400.
This was up more than 10 per cent on the figure of 126.7 per 100,000 in 2017 when the research was last carried out.
It was also markedly higher than the national average for England where, the OHID analysis indicates, there were 116 fast food outlets per 100,000 population in 2024, up from 98 in 2017.
Out of 151 “top tier” council areas, Brighton and Hove ranked 31st while East Sussex was 134th and West Sussex was 129th.
The number of fast food outlets in East Sussex was 84.4 for every 100,000 people in 2024, up from 98 in 2017.
In West Sussex, the figure was 86.3, compared with 76.7 in 2017.
The findings covered a range of outlets including places that sold burgers, pizzas, kebabs and chicken as well as Indian and Chinese takeaways and fish and chip shops.
The OHID research found that there were roughly double the number of fast food outlets in the most deprived areas than there were in the wealthiest parts of the country – 147 per 100,000 compared with 73.
Poorer areas also tended to record higher levels of obesity and less consumption of fruit and vegetables.
But the OHID noted that some areas with a higher numbers of fast food outlets may be areas where people travelled in for work or which had comparatively high visitor numbers.
A report to Brighton and Hove City Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board this week said: “(The) covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact on children and young people.
“This has included an increase in childhood obesity, diabetes, stress and anxiety, eating disorders and much more.”
The report said: “We continue to buck the national trend on childhood obesity with 28.8 per cent of year 6 children overweight or obese compared with 35.8 per cent for England.
“Those living in more deprived areas of the city are at higher risk of being an unhealthy weight, with up to two thirds of 11-year-olds being overweight or obese in some schools.”
The Health and Wellbeing Board also heard from the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership which presented the Brighton and Hove Food Strategy Action Plan 2025-30, updating the previous version.
The Food Partnership said: “The past five years have been turbulent, to say the least. The withdrawal from the EU, the covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have meant big shocks to our food system which is increasingly susceptible to climate change.
“The food system has also seen more focus and scrutiny, with the publication of the government-commissioned National Food Strategy, led by Henry Dimbleby.
“In Brighton and Hove … while life expectancy has been steady, people are now living longer in poor health.
“Only 38 per cent of adults in the city consume five or more portions or fruit and vegetables per day and one in three 11-year-olds are obese or overweight – up to two out of three in some schools.
“Obesity costs the NHS around £6.5 billion a year and is the second biggest preventable cause of cancer.
“Food that’s high in fat, salt and sugar is often more readily available and cheaper than healthier options and eating this kind of food regularly can cause obesity and other health problems.
“Parts of Moulsecoomb, Bevendean, Woodingdean, Whitehawk, Kemp Town, Queen’s Park and Hangleton are in the top 20 per cent of places in England with food desert characteristics.
“(These are) a mixture of low incomes, poor access to transport and a limited number of food retailers providing fresh produce and healthy groceries for affordable prices.
“Sadly, food poverty has soared since the last action plan was published, exacerbated by the ‘cost of living crisis’.
“The 358 food parcels issued per week in 2018 seems tiny compared with 6,300 people reliant on emergency food provision each week in 2024.
One in four children in the city (12,876) are living in poverty after household costs compared with an average of one in three across England.
“A higher percentage of our residents aged over 60 are living in income deprivation (17.8 per cent) compared with the England average (14 per cent).”
I have to admit when I’m on the bus I like a cheeky McDonalds.
I’m a bit confused by the connection between fast food takeaways and low income.
Takeaways are not that cheap, especially if you have them delivered.
Obviously if you have a family or live in a shared house then it’s cheapest, per person, or per portion, to cook a communal meal. And it’s when you are single that buying ‘ready meals’ or takeaways starts to make more economic sense.
Do we have a lot of takeaways here in Brighton and Hove simply because the city is full of students, and a lot of single people, plus all the visitors?
The other issue nowadays is the energy cost in cooking food from fresh ingredients – and I find I cook a stew or bake some potatoes in winter, as an excuse to put on the oven as a secondary heat source.
Energy costs also come in to play when you need hot water to do the washing up, or to run the dishwasher.
I’d also question whether the people eating takeaways are necessarily the fat or unhealthy ones. I’m fairly fit and active for my age, and the only time I grab food on the go is when I have time limitations. I then cook fresh food on the days when I’m home.
In Brighton, the high number of takeaways can certainly be linked to the large student population, single-person households, and tourism. However, it’s also about accessibility. Fast food outlets are highly visible, easy to use, and often available in areas where fresh food shops are scarce. For people on low incomes, particularly those in insecure housing or working long hours, cooking from scratch isn’t always practical. Upfront costs of fresh ingredients, the need for storage, and even the time required to prepare meals can make takeaways the more immediate option.
Energy costs are a real concern too. With rising bills, some people avoid using ovens or hobs, relying instead on microwave meals or takeaways that shift the cooking cost onto businesses. That’s why food poverty isn’t just about affordability—it’s about access, infrastructure, and time.
As for health, it’s true that not everyone who eats takeaways is unhealthy. The problem is more systemic: the cheapest and most available takeaways tend to be calorie-dense but nutrient-poor, contributing to long-term health issues, especially when they become a regular dietary staple.
People working back-to-back shifts across multiple NMW jobs have limited time for cooking.
In my younger days during university holidays, I would have a full-time office job by day, plus a hospitality job in the evening. Out the house 8 am to 10 pm 5-6 days a week.
That is okay. It is very confusing and a great opportunity for virtue signalling. Have a cup tea love.
There is also the additional menace of the delivery bikes (pedalled or powered) associated with all these take-aways. Very few of whom appear to have any understanding of the rules of the road or any consideration for other road users or pedestrians.
As for fresh food being dearer than junk food – a pack of 6 apples in Aldi costs £1.49 (25p each) as against an average of £1 for a packet of crisps…