Nutritional quality of retail food purchases is not associated with participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for nutrition-oriented households.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides millions of low-income Americans food benefits and other forms of nutrition assistance. Evidence indicates that SNAP reduces food insecurity. However, there is a concern that the food benefit may increase the demand for less healthy foods more than healthier foods, thereby reducing the overall nutritional quality of the participant's food basket.

Online Grocery Shopping Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Among SNAP Participants.

Objective: To inform policy proposals to allow online grocery shopping with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by examining relevant behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes of SNAP recipients.

Methods: This qualitative study used a purposive recruitment strategy to conduct 4 1-hour focus groups in Las Cruces, NM. Participants were SNAP recipients who do the grocery shopping for their families.

How Much Can Product Reformulation Improve Diet Quality in Households with Children and Adolescents?

Improvements in the healthfulness of packaged foods and beverages through reformulation could help reduce the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents through improved diet quality. This study assessed changes in calories and four nutrients (saturated fat, total sugars, sodium, and dietary fiber) from 2012 through 2014 for packaged products frequently consumed by children and adolescents, simulated effects of potential improvements in 12 frequently consumed product categories based on actual purchasing patterns, and compared differences in prices of healthier versus less healthy products. Analysis of trends showed limited evidence that healthfulness of foods improved over the years examined.

Obesity-Related Policy/Environmental Interventions: A Systematic Review of Economic Analyses.

Context: Policy and environmental changes to support and encourage individual-level nutrition and physical activity behavior are underway in many parts of the U.S. and around the world at national, state, and local levels.

Food Away from Home and Childhood Obesity.

Childhood obesity is associated with a number of serious health risks that can persist into adulthood. While trends in food away from home and fast-food consumption have paralleled trends in childhood obesity, it is important to identify whether this is a causal relationship. This paper reviews recent literature in this area to summarize if there is a consensus in research findings.

Nutrient Demand in Food Away from Home.

Food away from home (FAFH) and, specifically fast food, has been targeted by academics and public policy officials alike as a major contributor to the obesity epidemic. Criticized as high in energy, fat and sugars, the implication is that consumers demand the combination of nutrients in FAFH in excess. If market-based policies intended to correct the perceived market failure in nutrient demand are to be successful, information on nutrient elasticities is required.

US Food assistance programs and trends in children's weight.

OBJECTIVES. High rates of overweight and obesity among low-income children have led some to question whether participation in US domestic food assistance programs contributes to this health problem. We use multiple years of data to examine trends in children's body weight and participation in the Food Stamp Program (FSP) or Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

The vanishing weight gap: trends in obesity among adult food stamp participants (US) (1976-2002).

High rates of obesity among low-income populations have led some to question whether USDA's food assistance programs have contributed to this health problem. Using data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), this study shows that the association between food assistance program participation and body weight measures has weakened over the past three decades. Earlier NHANES data show that program participants were more likely to be overweight than individuals who were eligible but not participating in the program.