The Declaration of Independence writes that all human beings are given “unalienable rights” – the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It also states that governments should be employed to protect these human rights. These rights now have a price and if you fail to pay, you are not able to redeem them. The United States government aids individuals through hundreds of programs designed to alleviate the restricting consequences of poverty. These programs help individuals with shelter, food, medical care, and necessary consumption of goods. The US government spends $1.3 trillion dollars on social programs that provide assistance to millions of Americans during their time of need. A significant portion of this budget goes towards food assistance programs that help individuals secure food and meet nutritional needs to maintain a healthy body. Food assistance programs aim to improve the health of the US population and relieve them from food insecurity.
The United States Department of Agriculture reports that 12.7% of all US households face food insecurity. The USDA also defines food insecurity as a state in which “consistent access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources at times during the year.” For individuals who do not face food insecurity, it is difficult to comprehend what it feels like to be food insecure. Individuals have different experiences with food insecurity. For 52-year-old Jeffrey Stevens who is disabled, being food insecure means using the local church pantry, cooking in abundance, and eating the same dish for 7-10 days at a time (Fairfoodnetwork.org). Neidra Dowe, 35, also accounts what food insecurity means for her family of 5. After Neidra was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, she lost her job and turned to food assistance. Neidra understands the importance of healthy eating but after food stamps run out after just one week, “she is forced to stock more belly-fillers and less produce, so money is left for other crucial expenses” (Fairfoodnetwork.org).
Food stamps is the general term used to label food assistance. The main programs utilized by the public are the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program (SNAP) and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). SNAP is utilized for low-income families who meet the means tested requirements set by the federal and state government of residence. Pregnant, breastfeeding, or postpartum mothers, infants up to 12 months of age, and children up to 5 utilize WIC. There are other programs in place to aid seniors, children and individuals who need food assistance.
A significant portion of the United States population utilizes SNAP and WIC to meet nutritional needs and live a healthy lifestyle. It is vital to the health of millions of individuals to pursue whether these programs improve or injure the health outcomes of the individuals that they serve. Multiple research studies indicate that there is a correlation between poor health outcomes and utilization of food stamps. In order to amend food stamp policies to better serve the US population, it is imperative to understand the negative consequences that means-tested food assistance utilization has on nutrition, obesity, and disease.
The short-term consequences of nutrient deficiency are fatigue, dizziness, and weight loss while long-term physical consequences affect every cell in the body. Long-term consequences can result in organ damage, muscle and bone loss, and cognitive impairments. Food stamps are designed to prevent nutrient deficiency in individuals facing poverty and not having the means to purchase nutrient dense food. Recent research studies indicate that there is a paradox between providing assistance to individuals facing poverty and the outcomes in diet. By providing the means for individuals to purchase food, policymakers expect food sufficiency and health outcomes to improve. The counterintuitive outcomes suggest a flaw in policy.
A new term used by the USDA is hidden hunger: when an individual suffers from subclinical nutrient deficiencies (eg, iron, folic acid, and vitamin A), but does not have overt clinical signs of under nutrition. A research study by Sherry Tanumiharjo indicates that data shows household cost constraints result in a diet that supports foods high in fat and carbohydrate, such as snacks and sweets. Under conditions of restricted financial resources, individuals will make food choices to reduce his or her food budget, while maintaining a diet as close as possible to the typical diet of the community. By introducing a cost-constraint model and assessing the effect of cost on the selection of foods, the resultant diet was lower in the proportion of energy derived from fruits and vegetables, meat, and dairy products, and higher in the proportion of energy derived from cereals, sweets, and added fats, a pattern similar to that observed among low socioeconomic groups not utilizing food stamps (Tanumihardhjo, 2007). A literature review of the food insecurity and health outcomes also indicates The literature review also founds that food stamps do not ensure consumption of nutritionally adequate diets, nor do levels of food insecurity differ between food stamp participants and nonparticipants(Dinour, 2007). While programs improve ones abilities to obtain food, they restrict access to a diet with sufficient fruits and vegetables.
During the past decade, rates of food insecurity and obesity have risen, and an association has been made between these two contradictory states. Obesity is one of the most significant public health crises in the United States today. During the past 30 years, the prevalence of adult obesity has doubled from 15.0% to 32.2%. Multiple research findings indicate that individuals who face food insecurity and utilize public food assistance programs are more likely to be obese. A literature review of studies looking into the relationship between food insecurity and obesity find that there is a positive correlation between food stamps and obesity when controlling for race/ethnicity (Dinour, 2007). It is hypothesized that food stamps lead to cyclical food restriction, which is associated with an increase in body fat, decrease in lean muscle mass, and a quicker weight gain. The “food stamp cycle” refers to a 3-week period of overeating when food stamps and money are available, followed by a 1-week period of involuntary food restriction when resources have been depleted (Denour, 2007).
Chronic diseases such as heart disease, asthma, and diabetes are the leading causes of premature mortality in the United States. A correlation between food stamps utilization and chronic diseases supports the findings that there are negative consequences of food assistance programs and health outcomes due to problematic policies that undermine the purpose of public assistance. Considering that diet affects all aspects of health status, these findings are not surprising. A research study using The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) found that six percent of diabetic adults reported problems with food insufficiency related to financial constraints, representing over 568,000 persons nationally (Nelson 2001).
A common theme in all research findings correlating food stamp utilization among food insufficient populations and adverse health outcomes are the insufficiency of funds to purchase nutritious and healthy options. Flaws in policy undermine the goals of these programs. The limitations of the policies are due to the means tested requirements that are required to gain access to food assistance programs and most other public assistance programs. Most of the individuals benefiting from food assistance programs also utilize Medicare/Medicaid, housing assistance, and other forms of financial assistance that are means tested. For most of these programs, families must remain below 130% of the poverty line in order to meet the requirements. For most, this means remaining unemployed and reducing assets because any additional means of income will cut off all access to public assistance.