Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Recommendations to Address Healthy Food Access in the United States

Abstract

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is a federally funded program to provide food assistance to those that struggle to afford it. This program provides timely, targeted, and temporary benefits to people in need. SNAP has helped millions of low-income Americans have the necessary nutritional support and is one of the largest programs working to fight hunger. As changes happen to the population, the SNAP program changes to meet needs. Although SNAP was created to help those in assistance, only certain people are eligible [1]. Abstract The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federally funded program to provide food assistance to struggling Americans. The SNAP program, currently under review, is proposing a nearly 30% decrease, thus eliminating benefits for at least 4 million people and reducing benefits for many others. The current SNAP program only provides $1.40 per meal per person, leading to families rely on foods that are less expensive, and often provide less nutritional value, to stretch out their monthly allotment. The new SNAP proposal would drastically cut 260,000 store options around the country, in favor of a new government-driven approach of providing boxed food for SNAP households. SNAP participants are currently at a significant disadvantage in terms of dietary quality relative to non-participants in fruit and vegetable consumption. This policy change would further increase this issue. Food insecurity, even marginal food security, is associated with chronic and costly health problems and behaviors among adults. SNAP participants may be at a higher risk of having a nutritional intake pattern of low consumption of all the five major food groups, while also consuming larger than recommended amounts of fats, sugars, and sodium. Not only are SNAP participants consuming less across all main food groups, their dietary quality is less than non-SNAP participants including whole grains, leafy green vegetables, and healthy meats, due to costs. With the SNAP program currently under review, we recommend the following policy changes,