Study: Food Stamps Do Not Affect Sugary Drink Usage
Low-income children participating in the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are no more or less likely to consume sugary drinks than peers not enrolled in the program, according to a study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. SNAP, commonly known as food stamps, provides about $284 monthly in assistance to low-income families to buy food at grocery stores. Anne Barnhill -- a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy -- noted that the findings do not answer whether banning the use of food stamps to buy sugary beverages would reduce consumption.
- "Food Stamps Don't Alter Kids' Sugary Drink Choices" (Seaman, Reuters, 8/10).