Study finds food stamp recipients are at greater risk for obesity


A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
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.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
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.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
-
Exodus begins from Burning Man after desert mud trapped tens of thousands
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
'Margaritaville' singer Jimmy Buffett dies at 76
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
American Airlines suing website that offers tickets via price loopholes
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Federal agencies investigating near miss between Southwest jet and private plane
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Euphoria' star Angus Cloud dies at 25
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens dies at 70
Speed Read
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
Trader Joe's recalls 4 products in a week amid reports of rocks and insects inside food
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Emmys to be postponed for first time since after 9/11 due to strikes
Speed Read
By Brendan Morrow Published