Food Stamps and Obesity, a Report from USDA
Food stamp participation does cause weight gain and contributes to overweight and obesity.
However, this statement needs clarification. Results from reviewed studies indicate that for most participants in the Food Stamp Program – children, non-elderly men and the elderly – use of food stamp benefits does not result in an increase in the Body Mass Index (BMI). Furthermore, there is no indication that participation will increase the predisposition to obesity in these categories of participants.
What was found, however, is that for the 28% of the food stamp caseload that consists of non-elderly women there is some evidence that participation in the program may cause an increase in BMI and subsequent obesity.
Different results for age and sex subgroups remain unexplained although some hypothesis was proposed. Because food stamps are issued to households rather than individuals, teasing some of these variables affecting the BMI of the 28% of the caseload prone to obesity is challenging. But, we must first find out the reasons why this is occurring to target policy alternatives to address the obesity issue.
According to these studies the effect on weight is nothing to be sneezed at. Participants in the non-elderly women category were likely to (over a period of 1 -2 years) increase probability of becoming obese by 2-5 percentage points. The length of time of participation in the Food stamp program appears to be a variable where long term studies showed a link between non-elderly women and long term participation of an increase in obesity of 4.5 – 10 percentage points depending on length of time of participation. These results suggest that long-term participation have effects on obesity rates that are different than short and medium-term participation.
Why the increase in obesity affects women but not other categories of participants remains unclear. As stated earlier, the Food Stamp Program goes to 89% of food stamp homes that contain households with elderly, children or disabled adults. Devising program changes that are appropriately targeted to household members who may be at risk of gaining weight without harming those who need the nutritional assistance presents a difficult challenge and requires further study before intervention studies can even be devised. Policy changes that help improve overall diets of all household members may be the most effective intervention.
It might be noted that Food Stamp Program participants are not required to go through a nutrition intervention education program. From the looks at some of the shopping carts of those who do receive benefits, participants could certainly use some nutrition education intervention. Another government program, WIC (Women’s Infants Children) requires participants to go through nutrition education programs as needed and a nutrition counselor is available for complex nutritional issue problem solving. Women are frequently the decision makers for the nutritional components of the diets, thus perhaps education programs need to be designed at the most vulnerable target group modeled after other government programs such as WIC that have been successful for many years.
About the Author
Kathy Shattler received her Master of Science degree from Michigan State University in E. Lansing Michigan in Human Nutrition. Her twenty-two years of practice includes holding positions as a Lecturer, Chief Clinical Dietitian and Program Manager. Kathy is the Founder of Nutri-Care Consulting and is currently the Nutrition Director of www.CEU4U.COM, an online continuing education management company for Registered Dietitians and Dietetic Technicians.
