The goal of this project is to examine how increases in family income generated by geographic- and time-varying changes in earned income tax credits (EITC) impact children’s body mass index, and how this effect may depend on their neighborhood food environment and regional food prices. Focusing on EITC-generated income changes amounts to a quasi-experimental research design that addresses many concerns about confounding bias. Exploiting this natural income experiment, investigators will examine how income effects vary based on regional food prices (fruits and vegetables and fast food) and local food environment (grocery stores and fast food outlets). The analysis of the effects of employment and income from the EITC will provide insight into how the largest anti-poverty program in the U.S. shapes children’s risk of obesity.
Start Date: November 2009
ID #: 68704
Principal Investigator: David Rehkopf, ScD, MPH
Organization: Stanford University
Funding Round: Round 4
Age Groups: Adolescents (grades 9 to 12), Adults and Families, Elementary-age children (grades K to 5), Preschool-age children (ages 3 to 5), Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8)
Keywords: Body mass index (BMI), Fast food, Food outlet, Fruits and vegetables, Geographic information systems, Grocery store, Neighborhood, Restaurant, Supermarket, Taxes
Focus Areas: Food Access, Pricing & Economics
Resource Type: Grant Summary
Race/Ethnicity: Multi-racial/ethnic
State: National
Related Research
September 2025
Food Insecurity-Related Stigma Among Adults in the United States: A Scoping Review
This review aimed to characterize individual- and structural-level stigma associated with government (ie, SNAP, WIC) and emergency food program (ie, food banks, pantries, cupboards, soup kitchens) utilization in the US. 5 databases (PubMed, PsychINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts) were searched in June 2024. The review included peer-reviewed articles (January 2004 – June 2024), MoreAugust 2025
Resources to Improve Implementation of the Healthy Eating Research (HER) Nutrition Guidelines for the Charitable Food System
This guide contains training materials, resources, tips, and examples of practices to help food banks improve the implementation of Healthy Eating Research (HER) Nutrition Guidelines for the Charitable Food System. To create this guide, the research team interviewed people working in food banks across the country to learn how they approach ranking foods using the MoreAugust 2025