title: Life and health insurance industry investments in fast food.
abstract: Previous research on health and life insurers' financial investments has highlighted the tension between profit maximization and the public good. We ascertained health and life insurance firms' holdings in the fast food industry, an industry that is increasingly understood to negatively impact public health. Insurers own $1.88 billion of stock in the 5 leading fast food companies. We argue that insurers ought to be held to a higher standard of corporate responsibility, and we offer potential solutions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Arun V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Mohan
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.forename: Steffie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Woolhandler
authors.forename: David U
authors.initials: DU
authors.lastname: Himmelstein
authors.forename: J Wesley
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Boyd
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D057140:Fast Foods / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D007352:Insurance, Life / Q000191:economics*; D007449:Investments / Q000191:economics*; D011634:Public Health / Q000191:economics; D012941:Social Responsibility; D014481:United States
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