Little is known about the impacts of SNAP restrictions on the health of program participants. This brief provides a narrative review of published evidence on SNAP restrictions and combined incentive-disincentive approaches, highlighting the approaches’ historical context, perceptions among program participants, and evidence of impact on SNAP participants’ purchases and health. The studies reviewed found mixed results on how restrictions and strategies combining restrictions and incentives influence SNAP participants’ food choices and diet quality. Offering incentives for healthy foods like fruits and vegetables is more popular than restrictions on sugary drinks among both program participants and nonparticipants. Additional studies are needed to rigorously evaluate the implementation process and intervention effects of SNAP restrictions and approaches pairing incentives with restrictions.
Published: September 2025
Publisher: Healthy Eating Research
Authors: Reed L, Johnson J, Lott M, Story M
Age Group: Adults and Families
State: National
Focus Area: Nutrition Policy & Programs
Resource Type: Research Brief
Keywords: Sugar-sweetened beverages, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Related Research
September 2025
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 government (ie, SNAP, WIC) and emergency food program (ie, food banks, pantries, cupboards, soup kitchens) utilization in the US. 5 databases (PubMed, PsychINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts) were searched in June 2024. The review included peer-reviewed articles (January 2004 – June 2024), MoreAugust 2025
Lived Experiences of Families Navigating Safety Net Expansions and Retractions During the Pandemic: A Qualitative Study
This study aimed to understand the experiences of families with low income in California with pandemic safety net support expansions and retractions, including barriers to program access. Using open-ended questions, we explored the self-reported experiences of pandemic-era safety net expansions and expirations between January and June 2023 among a group of caregivers of young children MoreAugust 2025