第163场全球健康讲座
No. 163 Global Health Seminar Series

Abstract: 
Because of the high prevalence of obesity in the low-income population, Congress has considered placing limits on the types of food that could be purchased with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) several times. If limited budget is the main reason why low-income households choose calorie-dense food items, then a subsidy without any restriction would act as an upward shift in income, reducing the likelihood of obesity. Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2016, this paper finds little income effect on calorie consumption patterns among SNAP participants. Our results suggest that SNAP in its current unrestricted form is ineffective in curbing the obesity pandemic and placing limits or other creative solutions is needed.