Frontiers in Public Health · 2 authors, 3 centres
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A longitudinal study of 1,004 U.S. adults compared SNAP participants and non-participants before and after the 21% benefit increase from the 2021 Thrifty Food Plan re-evaluation, finding no significant differences in food insecurity, diet quality, or mental health outcomes after the policy change.
This longitudinal, web-based study assessed 1,004 U.S. adults at or below $65,000 household income in September 2021 (pre-policy) and February 2022 (post-policy) to evaluate the effects of the 2021 TFP re-evaluation, which increased SNAP benefits by 21%. Outcomes included household food security (18-item HFSSM), diet quality (PDQS-30D), perceived stress (PSS-10), and anxiety/depression (PHQ-4). Prior to the policy change, SNAP participants had significantly worse food insecurity, lower diet quality, and higher perceived stress and anxiety/depression compared to non-participants. After adjustment for sociodemographic differences, there were no significant effects of the TFP re-evaluation on any outcome among SNAP participants relative to non-participants. Qualitative responses suggested rising food prices and inflation may have offset the benefit increase, though participants described the added benefits as helpful in purchasing additional food and offsetting household costs. Limitations include the web-based study design and the unique economic and policy context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
