Stay with me here. This is not a bait-and-switch, I swear. A couple of researchers have actually found the following:
We estimate the impacts of Wal-Mart and warehouse club retailers on height-adjusted body weight and overweight and obesity status, finding robust evidence that non-grocery selling Wal-Marts reduce weight while grocery-selling Wal-Marts and warehouse clubs either reduce weight or have no effect.
This has obvious implications for the health of many Americans, and it dispells a popular Lefty myth about the much-maligned big box retailer:
The evidence suggests that all three types of stores increase consumption of fruits and vegetables while reducing consumption of foods high in fat. This is consistent with the thesis that Wal-Mart increases real incomes through its policy of “Every Day Low Prices,” making healthy food more affordable, as opposed to the thesis that cheap food prices make us eat more.
And just think: while you’re in there buying your cheap fruits and veggies, you can go to the retail health clinic and have that sinus infection looked at.
I love the free market!
[HT Healthcare Economist]
Comments 5
‘I love the free market!’
What free market? We are now in the midst of one of the biggest ever market failures and the biggest ever nationalised bailouts at Fannie and Freddie, with more to come, such as a $25 billion government loan to GM. And it is ‘free market” America that is leading the way to what looks likely to be a post-capitalist world.
Posted 12 Sep 2008 at 7:13 am ¶Mr. Brown, your take on the current economic situation is incredibly naive.
The enemies of the market (and of freedom) have been predicting the imminent collapse of capitalism for well over a century.
They were wrong then, and you are wrong now. Buy a book or two, and learn something about economics.
You will be a better man for it.
Posted 12 Sep 2008 at 8:32 am ¶‘The enemies of the market (and of freedom) have been predicting the imminent collapse of capitalism for well over a century.’
I didn’t say it was collapsing I said we are entering a post-capitalist stage. This is clearly where a more mixed economy (private/public) and increased regulation will be the norm. What I find breathtaking is that you Americans aren’t shouting from the rooftops for Fannie Mae, Bear Stearns, Lehman, GM and and all the rest to go to the wall - but no, you’re more than happy for bail out after bail out and more post-Enron regulation. As for healthcare, supposedly the topic of this blog, the chances of Catron ever getting his free market utopia are rapidily approach nil.
Posted 12 Sep 2008 at 8:54 am ¶Oh Marc, you should kow the next step, I’m sure you have read Marx.
Posted 12 Sep 2008 at 10:13 pm ¶Sorry, but let’s see some substance from you. What is your take on what’s happening to your economy? I’m actually just paraphrasing current thinking from analysts.
Posted 13 Sep 2008 at 5:25 am ¶Post a Comment