Insurance Companies invest in Fast Food Stocks

In a report published this week by Health.com, 11 of the nations large life and health insurance companies were recognized for owning almost $2 billion dollars of fast food companies in their stock portfolios.  The report comes as a shock to some, and a belief that these insurance companies should be promoting healthy choices, not profiting from the stocks of fast food corporations whose products contribute to increased morbidity and mortality.  The fast food companies included were McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, and Taco Bell. The author of the study, J. Wesley Boyd, M.D. stated, “They can charge you more for life insurance if you have these negative health outcomes that people have as a result of eating fast food,” while suggesting insurance companies profit twice by those who eat a significant amount of fast food, both through higher premiums for … Continue reading →