Find out how many takeaways have taken over your high street
With areas in the Black Country and Staffordshire having some of the highest number of takeaways in the West Midlands, council leaders and MPs have had their say about the fast food problem.
Sandwell has the most takeaways in the Black Country and the second highest in the region, according to the Public Health England figures, with 114.3 takeaways per 100,000 residents.
But Councillor Steve Eling, the leader of Sandwell Council, has dismissed the idea that all takeaways are unhealthy and are driving an obesity problem in the borough.
"It's a load of rubbish,' he said. "Not all takeaways are unhealthy.
"There are certain planning policies, particularly with shops, that state how many within a certain area can be fast food takeaways.
"There are also limits in planning policy which mean that a fast food takeaway cannot be within 400 yards of a school."
West Bromwich Central – 41; Abbey – 32; Cradley Heath and Old Hill – 27; Wednesbury North – 26; Soho and Victoria – 25
Western Springs – 29; Cannock South – 19; Hednesford North – 9; Brereton and Ravenhill – 7; Norton Canes - 7
St Peter's – 54; Bilston East – 21; Wednesfield South – 18; Bushbury North – 16; Fallings Park – 16
St Matthew's – 55; Willenhall South - 28; Pleck – 19; Brownhills – 15; Birchills Leamore – 14
Brierley Hill – 37; St James's – 21; Wollaston and Stourbridge Town – 18; Belle Vale – 17; Lye & Stourbridge North – 16
Forebridge – 21; St Michael's & Stonefield – 15; Common – 10; Coton – 9; Eccleshall – 5
Councillor Eling also acknowledged that there were concerns over the level of physical activity in Sandwell and said steps were being taken to improve the situation.
"There is a concern that there are a lot people who are not leading an active life, and we are aware of that as a council," he said. "We are ensuring that the facilities are there, including with exercise equipment in parks, good and popular leisure centres, and we have also put in new leisure facilities with new swimming baths and grounds.
"But in the end it is up to people themselves to be active, we can't force them."
In Dudley, Mike Wood MP offered his thoughts on the figures that showed Brierley Hill had 37 takeaways in the town.
He said: "There is obviously an enormous number of takeaways in and around Brierley Hill High Street.
"In some ways this can be good for the night-time economy, but in other ways all these takeaways can cause the High Street to appear to be empty if they are only at night. It is all about balance, both in terms of our diets but also in terms of the local economy and the shops on our high streets. We need to be getting more retail.
"I like a takeaway every now and then myself, but it's all about balance."
But the number of takeaways in Brierley Hill was eclipsed in the figures by Walsall town centre's St Matthews ward, which boasts 55 takeaways.
Councillor Aftab Nawaz, who represents the ward, said the council and families needed to concentrate more on healthy eating. But he added that some people could not afford to eat healthy and are forced into the cheaper option of fast food.
In Wolverhampton, some 54 fast food outlets are based in the centre out of 242 across the city. With a ratio of 95.7 takeaways per 100,000 people, it is the second highest for takeaways in the Black Country.
Councillor Wendy Thompson, leader of the city's opposition Conservative group, said: "We have high obesity levels so it would be really good if we could get far more variety of food shops and other shops rather than just takeaways because we seem to be swamped with them.
"Fifty-four is an enormous amount. You get the impression that people seem to be turning so much to takeaways rather than looking at the nutritional aspects where they should have a more varied diet.
"There's nothing wrong with takeaways in moderation."
Cannock Chase was the fourth highest in the West Midlands with 99.4 takeaways per 100,000 residents. Councillor George Adamson, the leader of the council, said they would look closely at the data released by Public Health England.
Ninder Johal, board member of the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership and former president of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, said: "The choice we have is takeaways paying rates and employing people, or empty premises.
"I completely understand the Public Health concerns, but that is about educating people to eat everything in proportion.
"When I'm driving around the Black Country I can see that the high streets are increasingly populated by takeaways, but we need to have busy high streets not empty premises."
