Fast food chains are popping up everywhere, flooding our high streets and opening ever closer to local school gates.

The safe spaces and free WiFi they provide entice young people in. While the marketing for food and drinks on their menus is a constant presence in young people’s lives.

Our latest research has found that fast food chains are on the march. The five on our list — Domino's, Subway, McDonalds, KFC and Burger King — have grown by 47% in the past ten years [1]. This is at a time when a third of children leave primary school facing a future of food-related ill health.

This has big implications for young people’s health. Most of these businesses won’t tell us the facts about what they actually market and sell, but research shows their best-selling items are predominantly unhealthy [2].

Seen this in action?

A fast food outlet opening at a local school gate? Healthier high street shops being replaced by big food chains full of unhealthy options? Send us your story and we’ll use it to help politicians understand why this issue matters so much to communities around the country.