This study engaged experts from diverse sectors to explore their opinions concerning the existing challenges to eating nutritiously in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program and propose strategies for improving the diets and health of SNAP recipients. The high cost of nutrient-rich foods, inadequate SNAP benefits amounts, and environmental factors associated with poverty were identified by respondents as challenges to improving the nutritional status of SNAP participants. Six themes emerged among respondents about how to address these challenges: providing SNAP participants with incentives to purchase nutrient-rich foods; restricting the purchase of nutrient-poor foods and beverages with program benefits, modifying the frequency of SNAP benefits distribution; enhancing nutrition education; improving the SNAP retailer environment; and increasing state- and federal-level coordination and consistency of program implementation.
A Qualitative Study of Diverse Experts’ Views About Barriers and Strategies to Improve the Diets and Health of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Beneficiaries
Published: January 2013
ID #: 68813
Journal: J Acad Nutr Diet
Authors: Leung CW, Hoffnagle EE, Lindsay AC, et al
Age Groups: Preschool-age children (ages 3 to 5), Elementary-age children (grades K to 5), Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8), Adolescents (grades 9 to 12), Adults and Families
Focus Areas: Food Access, Nutrition & Agriculture Policy and Programs, Pricing & Economics
Race/Ethnicity: Multi-racial/ethnic
Resource Type: Journal Article
Keywords: Corner store, Farmers' markets, Food insecurity, Food outlet, Fruits and vegetables, Grocery store, Nutrition standards, Sugar-sweetened beverages, Supermarket, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Related Research
April 2011
Exploring Ways to Strengthen the Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to Improve Nutrition for Low-Income Children
The objective of this research is to conduct a comprehensive survey of stakeholder groups to identify barriers and opportunities for improving nutrition in the Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The survey will be designed with input from key informant interviews and distributed to over 500 key stakeholders involved with … More
September 2020
Urban School Food Infrastructure: Current Issues, Challenges, and Solutions
In the next year, an estimated 1 in 4 children will experience food insecurity (up from 1 in 6, pre-pandemic), disproportionately impacting children in low-income households and racial/ethnic minorities. To mediate loss of school meals during closures and reduce COVID-19 exposure, Congress authorized the USDA to permit local education authorities … More
September 2020
Feeding Our Children: Comparing Pandemic EBT and School Meals-to-Go
Food insecurity among households with children under 18 has increased dramatically during the COVID pandemic; from 15% in 2018 to 28% in June 2020. Governments and school districts have rapidly adopted policies to help children facing food insecurity as a result of the pandemic. Two leading policies include the Pandemic-Electronic … More