One in five U.S. children are eligible to participate in federal income, food, and housing support programs. These programs reduce the prevalence and intensity of poverty, but their combined effects on nutrition and health are not well understood, and participation is not maximized. The proposed research examines the incremental and combined impact of participation in two programs, SNAP and housing assistance, by applying novel quasi-experimental methods to two national datasets. We will conduct interviews with state agency and elected officials to understand challenges and opportunities for states to make access to multiple programs simpler for children and their families.This project has the following specific aims: (1) determine the incremental and combined effects of participation in SNAP and housing assistance on child and parent/caregiver diet quality, metabolic health and adiposity, and mental health; (2) determine the incremental and combined effects of participation in SNAP and housing assistance on household food purchase quality, food security, and financial security; and (3)understand state agency and elected official perspectives on key barriers to streamlining the enrollment and recertification process to make benefit attainment easier for eligible households.
Start Date: February 2019
ID #: 76294
Principal Investigator: Alyssa Moran, ScD, MPH, RD
Organization: Johns Hopkins University
Funding Round: Round 11
Age Group: Adults and Families
Race/Ethnicity: African American or Black, Latino(a) or Hispanic
Keywords: Food insecurity, Home, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Resource Type: Grant Summary
State: National
Focus Area: Nutrition Policy & Programs
Related Research
March 2024
Associations of Increased WIC Benefits for Fruits and Vegetables With Food Security and Satisfaction by Race and Ethnicity
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides nutrition support for racially and ethnically diverse populations. In 2021, the monthly cash value benefit (CVB) for the purchase of fruits and vegetables increased from $9 to $35 and was later adjusted to $24. This study investigated, by racial and ethnic groups, whether MoreJanuary 2024
WIC Fruit and Vegetable Study
The Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition was funded by Healthy Eating Research to conduct a study exploring how the policy changes in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) cash value benefit (CVB), or fruit and vegetable money, during the pandemic impacted the WIC program and child access to fruits and MoreNovember 2023