Given the significant reach and service the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance program has for lower-income populations most vulnerable to food insecurity and poor nutrition, there is an urgent need to obtain data about the nutrition of children who participate in SNAP to determine what foods are being consumed. This analysis was designed to provide important evidence about the types and amounts of foods and nutrients consumed by children enrolled in the SNAP program, thereby helping to underscore the importance of SNAP in encouraging the purchase of healthier foods as a key component of reversing childhood obesity in this vulnerable population. Initially, the project team members reviewed the scientific literature for the effects of SNAP participation on dietary intake, types of food consumed, and obesity rates as compared to lower-income individuals who are not enrolled in the program. The team then conducted a statistical review and analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 1998-2008 to determine the effect of the program’s current structure on the nutrition of its child and adolescent beneficiaries.
SNAP to Health: Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) to Assess the Nutrition of Youth, Ages 4‑19, Participating in SNAP
Start Date: April 2011
ID #: CAS006
Organization: Harvard University School of Public Health
Project Lead: Walter Willett, MD, MPH, DrPH
State: National
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)
Resource Type: Commissioned Research Project Summary
Focus Areas: Food Access, Nutrition & Agriculture Policy and Programs
Race/Ethnicity: Multi-racial/ethnic
Keywords: Body mass index (BMI), Farmers' markets, Food insecurity, Food outlet, Fruits and vegetables, Nutrition standards, Snacks, Sugar-sweetened beverages, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Related Research
March 2013
Associations of Food Stamp Participation with Dietary Quality and Obesity in Children
Studies suggest that participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—the largest federal nutrition assistance program in the U.S.—may be associated with suboptimal dietary patterns among adults, but these associations have not been extensively examined among children. This paper discusses the results of a study that examined the overall dietary … 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