Research & Publications | Healthy Eating Research

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Unveiling the Layers of Stigma Related to Utilization of Food Assistance and Free Food Programs

This study conducted a comprehensive literature review to understand the dimensions of stigma associated with both government food program utilization (i.e., SNAP, WIC) and non-profit administered free food programs (i.e., emergency food programs such as food banks, pantries, and cupboards) and to examine the effectiveness of existing stigma reduction interventions in the context of food More

Keywords: Community setting, Equity and disparities, Food insecurity, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supportive family policies

Date: November 2025

Resource Type: Commissioned Research Project Summary

Focus Areas: Food Access Healthy Communities

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 utilization of government (i.e., SNAP, WIC) and emergency food programs (i.e., food banks, pantries, cupboards, soup kitchens) in the U.S. The review included original peer-reviewed articles or systematic reviews published between January 2004 – June 2024, in the U.S., in English. Included studies reported More

Keywords: Food insecurity, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

Date: September 2025

Resource Type: Journal Article

Focus Areas: Food Access Nutrition Policy & Programs