Study finds food stamp recipients are at greater risk for obesity

New research suggests that food stamp recipients are more likely to be obese than the rest of the U.S. population.

A U.S. Department of Agriculture study looked at data from thousands of participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted from 2007 to 2010. The researchers found that Americans who received food stamp benefits were more likely to be obese than those who did not, including those who qualified for benefits but didn't receive them.

Of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries surveyed, 40 percent of them were obese. Of the poor who qualified for SNAP benefits but did not receive them, 32 percent were obese, as were 30 percent of higher-income Americans. Food stamp recipients also reported eating less fruits and vegetables and drinking more soda than the rest of the country.

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But while food stamp recipients may be eating less healthy foods, the rest of the population isn't doing great, either. The average diet of food stamp recipients scored a 56.8 on the healthy eating index, versus 60.3 for eligible non-participants and 60.2 percent for wealthier people. As The Huffington Post notes, that's "the difference between an F and a D-minus," so most people could stand to improve their diets.