Study shows Wal-Mart reduces obesity.
“We expected the study to show an increase in obesity in communities with a Wal-Mart,” Carden says. “We know that Wal-Mart lowers the cost of food, but we figured it’s not always the best food for you.”
To their surprise, they found the opposite—there was a small but statistically significant reduction in obesity rates in communities with a Wal-Mart, perhaps because the store also sells fresh produce of good quality at a good price.
Broadening the study to big-box stores in general, the effect was even more pronounced. “People actually bought more produce, more fruits and vegetables,” (economist Art) Carden says. “Instead of just eating more, they ate a higher-quality diet—a lower-fat diet than the rest of the population.”
Just because you see a lot of fat people in motorized carts at Wal-Mart doesn't mean the store doesn't offer plenty of healthy alternatives. Wal-Mart offers lots of food that's bad for you, but there's also lots of good food, too. People choose to eat badly.
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