Support for Policies to Improve the Nutritional Impact of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in California

Leung, Cindy W.; Ryan-Ibarra, Suzanne; Linares, Amanda; Induni, Marta; Sugerman, Sharon; Long, Michael W.; Rimm, Eric B.; Willett, Walter C.

doi:10.2105/ajph.2015.302672

Cited by 17 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…13,32,33 In multiple studies a majority of stakeholders, including SNAP participants, have supported restrictions on purchasing sugar-sweetened beverages with SNAP dollars as well as supported the provision of additional SNAP benefits for fruits and vegetables. 13,32,34 Counter to claims that program modifications would be difficult to implement, the Healthy Incentives Pilot showed that changes to SNAP are feasible (most retailers did not find the Healthy Incentives Pilot difficult to operate, and >90% reported no change in checkout time). 35 The vast majority of all food prepared at home is purchased in supermarkets and at other large retailers 36 where electronic point of sale technology is readily available and could be used to implement changes in SNAP policy.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transactions at a Northeastern Supermarket Chain: Differences by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Use

Franckle

Moran

Hou

et al. 2017

American Journal of Preventive Medicine

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Introduction Although one in seven Americans receives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, little is known on how these benefits for food are spent because individual-level sales data are not publicly available. The purpose of this study is to compare transactions made with and without SNAP benefits at a large regional supermarket chain. Methods Sales data were obtained from a large supermarket chain in the Northeastern U.S. for a period of 2 years (April 2012–April 2014). Multivariate multiple regression models were used to quantify relative differences in dollars spent on 31 predefined SNAP-eligible food categories. Analyses were completed in 2016. Results Transactions with SNAP benefit use included higher spending on less healthful food categories including sugar-sweetened beverages ($1.08), red meat ($1.55), and convenience foods ($1.34), and lower spending on more healthful food categories such as fruits (−$1.51), vegetables (−$1.35) and poultry (−$1.25), compared to transactions without SNAP benefit use. Conclusions These findings provide objective data to compare purchases made with and without SNAP benefits. Next steps should be to test proposed SNAP modifications to determine whether they would have the intended effect of promoting healthier purchasing patterns among SNAP beneficiaries.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transactions at a Northeastern Supermarket Chain: Differences by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Use

Franckle

Moran

Hou

et al. 2017

American Journal of Preventive Medicine

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“…If program perceptions influence the efficacy of programs like SNAP to ameliorate socioeconomic health disparities, then perhaps policy makers will be encouraged to further prioritize the perspective of social program participants. For example, while some stakeholders have proposed restricting food purchases considered to be unhealthy (Leung et al 2015b), this may not result in positive mental health outcomes if such restrictions perpetuate stigma among program participants (Barnhill & King 2013).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and maternal depressive symptoms: Moderation by program perception

Bergmans¹,

Berger²,

Palta³

et al. 2018

Social Science & Medicine

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“…15–19 The results of this and other studies have shown that most SNAP participants support removing sugary beverages from the program, particularly if paired with incentives for healthful food. 9,10,20,21 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving the Nutritional Impact of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program:

Leung

Musicus

Willett

et al. 2017

American Journal of Preventive Medicine

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Introduction The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest federal food assistance program designed to alleviate food insecurity and improve dietary intake. This study assessed the opinions of SNAP participants and food-insufficient nonparticipants on their perceptions of the program and strategies to improve its nutritional impact. Methods This study surveyed 387 individuals via Amazon Mechanical Turk, of whom 118 were SNAP participants and 269 were food insufficient but not enrolled in SNAP (nonparticipants). Open-ended questions were coded and analyzed for thematic content. For closed-ended questions, response frequencies were compared using chi-square tests. Data were analyzed in 2016. Results SNAP participants reported that the program successfully served its primary purpose: to allow individuals to buy enough food to make ends meet and reduce food insecurity. Importance was placed on buying food for their children/families and the ability to allocate money for other expenses. To improve the nutritional impact, SNAP participants suggested more nutrition education, increasing the benefit allotment, incentivizing healthful foods, and excluding unhealthful foods for purchase with SNAP. When participants and nonparticipants were asked to choose between SNAP and a nutritionally enhanced program combining healthy incentives with exclusions for sugary beverages (i.e., SNAP+), 68% of participants and 83% of nonparticipants chose SNAP+. Of those who initially chose SNAP, 68% of participants and 64% of nonparticipants chose SNAP+ if paired with a 50% increase in total benefits. Conclusions SNAP participants and food-insufficient nonparticipants support policies that facilitate purchases of healthful foods and limit purchases of unhealthful foods, specifically sugary beverages.

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Support for Policies to Improve the Nutritional Impact of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in California

Cited by 17 publications

References 11 publications

Transactions at a Northeastern Supermarket Chain: Differences by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Use

Transactions at a Northeastern Supermarket Chain: Differences by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Use

Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and maternal depressive symptoms: Moderation by program perception

Improving the Nutritional Impact of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program:

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