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 (ages 18 and older)
Focus Areas: Food Access, Nutrition & Agriculture Policy, 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
February 2016
Minimum Stocking Levels and Marketing Strategies of Healthful Foods for Small Retail Food Stores
The healthfulness of foods and beverages found in retail food stores differs widely across the United States, both by location of the store as well as by store type. Some communities have limited access to stores that carry healthful staple foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grain-rich foods, and … More
October 2018
A Qualitative Evaluation of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Grant Program
This research describes findings from interviews conducted with grantees of multi-year community-based and large-scale projects funded by the FINI mechanism, as well as with stakeholders who could speak to FINI on a broader level. A total of 22 interviews were conducted with 19 organizations. Key elements addressed in this evaluation … More