Understanding the human body is a team effort. That's where the Yachtel group comes in.

Researchers at Yachtolt have been delving into the secrets of probiotics for 90 years.

Yacold also partners with nature portfolio to advance gut microbiome science through the global grants for gut health, an investigator-led research program.

To learn more about Yachtolt, visit yawcult.co.

.jp. That's Y-A-K-U-L-T.C-O.J-P. When it comes to a guide for your gut, count on Yacult.

This is Scientific American's 60-second science. I'm Gretchen Kudokroen. Got a minute?

Does it feel like everywhere you turn there's more food? Fast food joints like McDonald's and Taco

Bell abound. And big box stores like Costco, Walmart, and Target sell mounds of groceries.

Just the slightest pang of hunger and around the corner, there's another restaurant or retailer enticing us to buy more food.

Now a study finds that the sheer availability of all this food may be a big part of what is making us fat.

Charles Cortmunch, assistant professor in the School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University,

says that the steady rise in obesity rates is due in large part to the constant incentives to eat.

Cortmanch and his colleagues built a statewide model of economic conditions that influence body weight,

things like income and unemployment, food prices, retail outlet presence, as well as gasoline prices,

and the prevalence of fitness centers.

Their data showed that the presence of super centers, warehouse clubs and restaurants,

are responsible for more than 40% of the rise in obesity.

The report was published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

So if you're trying to shed a few pounds and you happen to be looking for a new place to live,

pick the house closer to the gym over the one near the Walmart.

Thanks for the minute. For Scientific American 60-second science, I'm Gretchen Kuda-Kroen.