Debate continues over the long-term impact of minimum wage hikes on the economic circumstances of the lower-wage workforce with opponents pointing to the detrimental effects on business growth and job opportunities while advocates highlight more money in a worker’s weekly paycheck. Well, a new study out of the University of Washington concludes that state and local minimum wage increases do not improve health outcomes as previously believed. To the contrary, the study published for the American Journal of Epidemiology earlier this month, suggests these wage mandates do just the opposite. Using data from the National Health Interview Survey, researchers found a positive correlation between a $1 increase in the minimum wage and an increased likelihood of being overweight after a two-year lag period.