Associations Between Ending Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Emergency Allotments and Food Insufficiency

This cross-sectional study analyzed repeated data from the U.S. Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey from August 2020 to February 2023. Using difference-in-differences models with state and month fixed effects, the study found that ending EAs was associated with significantly higher overall and child food insufficiency, with adjusted point estimates translating to relative increases of 5% and 6% in prevalence, respectively. The association was most pronounced among respondents reporting SNAP receipt, who experienced approximately a 21% relative increase in food insufficiency. No significant changes were found among higher-income, non-SNAP recipients, serving as a falsification test. The study had limitations, including the lack of a more comprehensive food security measure.