SNAP Participants' Eating Patterns over the Benefit Month: A Time Use Perspective
Karen S Hamrick1, Margaret Andrews1
1Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC, United States of America.
Plos One
|July 14, 2016
Summary
Monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits often run out, leading to hunger. SNAP participants are more likely to experience days without eating as their benefits deplete throughout the month.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health Policy
- Food Security Research
Background:
- Individuals receiving U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits frequently face food shortages towards the end of the month.
- Reported feelings of hunger are common among SNAP recipients nearing the end of their benefit cycle.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the timing of food insecurity within the monthly benefit cycle for SNAP recipients.
- To determine if there is a correlation between SNAP benefit issuance and days with no eating occurrences.
Main Methods:
- Utilized time diary data from the 2006-2008 American Time Use Survey and Eating & Health Module.
- Employed descriptive statistics, a logit model, and a simulated benefit month analysis.
- Identified days with reported no eating occurrences among participants and non-participants.
Main Results:
- SNAP participants demonstrated a significantly higher likelihood of reporting days with no eating occurrences compared to non-participants.
- This increased likelihood of no eating days was observed to rise over the course of the SNAP benefit issuance cycle.
Conclusions:
- Findings support the existence of a discernible monthly cycle in food consumption patterns among SNAP beneficiaries.
- The study suggests that the current SNAP monthly benefit issuance policy is associated with cyclical food intake patterns and potential hunger.
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