Revealed: Hartlepool is the fast food capital of the north east

New data published by Public Health England (PHE) shows how many fast food outlets, including burger bars, kebab and chip shops, are in each local authority - and also shows a ward-by-ward breakdown.

Hartlepool has 133 fast food outlets, which works out at a rate of 143.6 per 100,000 population.

And it is Victoria, which has the highest number, totalling 38.

According to Public Health figures, the number of fast food outlets in each ward of Hartlepool Borough Council is as follows:

38 - Victoria

25 - Headland and Harbour

23 - Burn Valley

10 - Jesmond

9 - Manor House, Seaton

6 - De Bruce

5 - Foggy Furze

3 - Fens and Rossmere, Hart

2 - Rural West

Nationally, the map shows that there are generally more fast food outlets in deprived areas than in more affluent areas.

In the North East the local authority with the highest density of fast food outlets per 100,000 population is Hartlepool (143.6 per 100,000 people). This contrasts with Northumberland which has the lowest density of fast food outlets (85.4 per 100,000 people).

The density of fast food outlets in local authorities in England ranges from 24 to 199 per 100,000 of the population. The national average is 88 per 100,000.

The regional table was:

1) Hartlepool - 133 outlets, 143.6 per 100,000 population

2) Middlesbrough - 169 outlets, 121.5 per 100,000 population

3) Darlington - 124 outlets, 117.7 per 100,000 population

4) Newcastle - 334 outlets, 115.2 per 100,000 population

5) Redcar and Cleveland - 141 outlets, 104.4 per 100,000 population

6) North Tyneside - 210 outlets, 103.6 per 100,000 population

7) South Tyneside - 153 outlets. 102.9 per 100,000 population

8) Gateshead - 199 outlets, 99.2 per 100,000 population

9) County Durham - 501 outlets, 96.8 per 100,000 population

10) Sunderland - 265 outlets, 95.7 per 100,000 population

11) Stockton-on-Tees - 182 outlets, 93.8 per 100,000 population

12) Northumberland - 270 outlets, 85.4 per 100,000 population

Professor Peter Kelly, PHE centre director for the North East said: "Over a fifth of adults and children eat takeaway meals at home more than once a week which is contributing to the nation’s obesity epidemic.

"Councils are already trying to limit new takeaways, particularly around schools, addressing this issue in very interesting ways according to their own local concerns.

"This data will be useful for local authorities to consider alongside their other public health responsibilities."