SNAP Participants at Heightened Risk for Death from Heart Disease and Diabetes

Participants of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) increase their risk of death from chronic disease, compared with those who do not participate in the program, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health. Researchers monitored mortality rates for 499,741 U.S. adults and found that SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps) participants increased their risk of death from heart disease and had three times the diabetes mortality rate when compared to income-ineligible nonparticipants. Researchers also observed an increased risk for SNAP participants when compared to income-eligible nonparticipants. The authors call for public health policies that prioritize low-income health education and improvements to the SNAP program in order to improve health concerns among this population. 

Read more about proposed changes to the SNAP program in this supplement issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.