A Scoping Review of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Programs.

Abstract

Background: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) fruit and vegetable (FV) incentive programs aim to enhance food security and increase FV consumption among low-income United States families. A 2020 scoping review examined their implementation and outcomes, but no updated review has been conducted despite the programs' expansion over the past 5 y.

Objectives: The purpose of this paper is to provide an updated scoping review characterizing the implementation and outcomes of SNAP FV incentive programs in the United States.

Methods: This updated review used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines for scoping reviews. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, and ProQuest Social Science Collection were systematically searched for peer-reviewed studies on FV incentive programs. Out of 4606 articles screened, 55 studies met inclusion criteria. Studies varied by design and included quantitative (n = 39), qualitative (n = 12), and mixed methods (n = 4). Programs were characterized by geographical and retail location type, criteria to earn and redeem incentives, incentive type and incentive amount.

Results: Findings were summarized in articles by program implementation (participant and stakeholder awareness of program existence and function, redemption rates, and barriers and facilitators to program implementation) and program outcomes (food security, purchase and sales, and consumption). Overall, this review found mostly positive outcomes. For example, in 14/17 studies, FV incentive programs were found to increase FV purchases. In 18/25 studies, participants reported an increase in FV consumption.

Conclusions: Continued investment in FV incentive programs is critical in supporting SNAP families' nutrition and health. However, rigorous evaluation of long-term FV consumption, particularly in brick-and-mortar stores, is needed to guide program improvement and scaling.

Scoping review registry: The protocol for this study was registered in Open Science Framework on 9 April 2024 (https://osf.io/2rk9j) as a scoping review.