scholarly journals How much does the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program alleviate food insecurity? Evidence from recent programme leavers

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 811-817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Nord
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Adequate Food ◽  
The Us ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

AbstractObjectiveTo estimate the effect of the US Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on the food security (consistent access to adequate food) of recipients, net of the effect of the self-selection of more food-needy households into the programme.DesignThe food security of current SNAP recipients and recent leavers is compared in cross-sectional survey data, adjusting for economic and demographic differences using multivariate logistic regression methods. A similar analysis in 2-year longitudinal panels provides additional control for selection on unobserved variables based on food security status in the previous year.SettingHousehold survey data collected for the US Department of Agriculture by the US Census Bureau.SubjectsHouseholds interviewed in the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplements from 2001 to 2009.ResultsThe odds of very low food security among households that continued on SNAP through the end of a survey year were 28 % lower than among those that left SNAP prior to the 30-d period during which food security was assessed. In 2-year panels with controls for the severity of food insecurity in the previous year, the difference in odds was 45 %.ConclusionsThe results are consistent with, or somewhat higher than, the estimates from the strongest previous research designs and suggest that the ameliorative effect of SNAP on very low food security is in the range of 20–50 %.

scholarly journals Does Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Reduce Food Insecurity among Households with Children? Evidence from the Current Population Survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 3178
Author(s):  
Jun Zhang ◽  
Yanghao Wang ◽  
Steven T. Yen
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Current Population Survey ◽  
Population Survey ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Current Population ◽  
Households With Children ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is designed to improve household diet and food security—a pressing problem confronting low-income families in the United States. Previous studies on the issue often ignored the methodological issue of endogenous program participation. We revisit this important issue by estimating a simultaneous equation system with ordinal household food insecurity. Data are drawn from the 2009–2011 Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement (CPS-FSS), restricted to SNAP-eligible households with children. Our results add to the stocks of empirical findings that SNAP participation ameliorates food insecurity among adults only, but increases the probabilities of low and very low food security among children. These contradictory results indicate that our selection approach with a single cross section is only partially successful, and that additional efforts are needed in further analyses of this complicated issue, perhaps with longitudinal data. Socio-demographic variables are found to affect food-secure households and food-insecure households differently, but affect SNAP nonparticipants and participants in the same direction. The state policy tools, such as broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE) and simplified reporting, can encourage SNAP participation and thus ameliorate food insecurity. Our findings can inform policy deliberations.

scholarly journals Effect of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program–Education (SNAP-Ed) on food security and dietary outcomes

2019 ◽  
Vol 77 (12) ◽  
pp. 903-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca L Rivera ◽  
Melissa K Maulding ◽  
Heather A Eicher-Miller
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Low Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Nutrition Assistance ◽  
Study Designs

AbstractThe Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program–Education (SNAP-Ed) is the nutrition promotion component of SNAP, formerly known as food stamps. SNAP-Ed assists low-income populations in the United States improve dietary intake and reduce food insecurity through nutrition education. This narrative review summarizes current investigations of SNAP-Ed’s effectiveness at improving food security and dietary outcomes, and it can help inform future policy and implementation of the program. There was stronger evidence for SNAP-Ed as an effective means of improving food security (n = 4 reports) than for its effects on nutrition or dietary outcomes (n = 10 reports). Inconsistency in measurement tools and outcomes and a lack of strong study designs characterized the studies that sought to evaluate the effectiveness of SNAP-Ed at improving nutrition or dietary outcomes. Additional rigorous study designs in diverse population groups are needed to strengthen the evidence. In the face of reduced financial SNAP benefits, SNAP-Ed may play an important role in helping to eliminate food insecurity and improve dietary outcomes and, ultimately, the health of low-income Americans.

scholarly journals Dietary Supplement Use among U.S. Children by Family Income, Food Security Level, and Nutrition Assistance Program Participation Status in 2011–2014

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinyoung Jun ◽  
Alexandra Cowan ◽  
Janet Tooze ◽  
Jaime Gahche ◽  
Johanna Dwyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Security Level ◽  
Program Participation ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

This analysis characterizes use of dietary supplements (DS) and motivations for DS use among U.S. children (≤18 years) by family income level, food security status, and federal nutrition assistance program participation using the 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. About one-third (32%) of children used DS, mostly multivitamin-minerals (MVM; 24%). DS and MVM use were associated with higher family income and higher household food security level. DS use was lowest among children in households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP; 20%) and those participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC; 26%) compared to both income-eligible and income-ineligible nonparticipants. Most children who used DS took only one (83%) or two (12%) products; although children in low-income families took fewer products than those in higher income families. The most common motivations for DS and MVM use were to “improve (42% or 46%)” or “maintain (34 or 38%)” health, followed by “to supplement the diet (23 or 24%)” for DS or MVM, respectively. High-income children were more likely to use DS and MVM “to supplement the diet” than middle- or low-income children. Only 18% of child DS users took DS based on a health practitioner’s recommendation. In conclusion, DS use was lower among children who were in low-income or food-insecure families, or families participating in nutrition assistance programs.

scholarly journals An Examination of the Adequacy of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefit Levels: Impacts on Food Insecurity

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 433-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Gundersen ◽  
Elaine Waxman ◽  
Amy S. Crumbaugh
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Nutrition Assistance ◽  
The Cost

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) serves as the primary tool to alleviate food insecurity in the United States. Its effectiveness has been demonstrated in numerous studies, but the majority of SNAP recipients are still food insecure. One factor behind this is the difference in food prices across the country—SNAP benefits are not adjusted to reflect these differences. Using information from Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap (MMG) project, we compare the cost of a meal by county based on the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP)—which is used to set the maximum SNAP benefit—with the cost of the average meal for low-income food-secure households. We find that the cost of the latter meal is higher than the TFP meal for over 99 percent of the counties. We next consider the reduction in food insecurity if, by county, the maximum SNAP benefit level was set to the cost of the average meal for low-income food-secure households. We find that if this approach were implemented, there would be a decline of 50.9 percent in food insecurity among SNAP recipients at a cost of $23 billion.

scholarly journals Identification of factors related to food insecurity and the implications for social determinants of health screenings

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley R. Banks ◽  
Bethany A. Bell ◽  
David Ngendahimana ◽  
Milen Embaye ◽  
Darcy A. Freedman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Social Determinants Of Health ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Determinants Of Health ◽  
Healthy Foods ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

Abstract Background Food insecurity and other social determinants of health are increasingly being measured at routine health care visits. Understanding the needs and behaviors of individuals or families who screen positive for food insecurity may inform the types of resources they need. The goal of this research was to identify modifiable characteristics related to endorsement of two food insecurity screener questions to better understand the resources necessary to improve outcomes. Methods Analysis was conducted focusing on cross-sectional survey data collected in 2015–2016 from participants (N = 442) living in urban neighborhoods in Ohio with limited access to grocery stores. Food insecurity was assessed by the endorsement of at least one of two items. These were used to categorize participants into two groups: food insecure(N = 252) or food secure (N = 190). Using logistic regression, we estimated the association between several variables and the food insecure classification. Results Those that used their own car when shopping for food had lower odds of reporting food insecurity, as did those with affirmative attitudes related to the convenience of shopping for and ease of eating healthy foods. As shopping frequency increased, the odds of food insecurity increased. Food insecurity also increased with experience of a significant life event within the past 12 months. There was an 81% increase in the odds of reporting food insecurity among participants who received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits compared to those not receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Conclusions Along with referrals to SNAP, clinicians can further address screening-identified food insecurity through provision of transportation supports and linkages to other social services while collaborating on community initiatives to promote convenient and easy access to healthy foods. The needs and behaviors associated with screens indicating food insecurity also have implications for impacting other SDH, and thus, health outcomes.

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