Effect of Food Stamp Program on Nutrient Intake Xiaowen Liu Department of Agricultural Economics

Outline Introduction Introduction Methodology Methodology Data Data Result Result Conclusion Conclusion

Introduction Food Stamp Program (FSP) Food Stamp Program (FSP) 1. History: 1939-now 2. Objectives of FSP: to help low-income households obtain adequate and nutritious diets by providing electronic debit cards that can be redeemed for food with few restrictions

Name change

Is it helpful? Food Intake Food Intake Increase in meats, added sugars, and total fats; Increase in meats, added sugars, and total fats; Increase in total food expenditure. Increase in total food expenditure. Nutrient Intake Nutrient Intake FSP effects on nutrient intake are negligible; FSP effects on nutrient intake are negligible; Negative effect; Negative effect; Positive but non-significant effect. Positive but non-significant effect.

Objectives Identify the factors that determine participation by eligible individuals in the FSP Identify the factors that determine participation by eligible individuals in the FSP Determine the effectiveness of the FSP in increasing nutritional intake of its participants Determine the effectiveness of the FSP in increasing nutritional intake of its participants Determine the effects of socio-demographic factors on nutrient intakes by SNAP eligible individuals. Determine the effects of socio-demographic factors on nutrient intakes by SNAP eligible individuals.

Methodology Simple Regression Simple Regression FSP =0 (participants) FSP =0 (participants) =1 (non-participants) =1 (non-participants)Nutrient= Exogenous Exogenous

Treatment Effect Model (d=FSP) Treatment Effect Model (d=FSP)

Switching Regression Model Switching Regression Model System Regression System Regression Statistical efficiency Statistical efficiency

Program Treatment Effect Program Treatment Effect Participants Non-participants Participants Non-participants

Data National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Eligibility Define (<=130 poverty level) Eligibility Define (<=130 poverty level) Five nutrients: Five nutrients: Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium and Iron Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium and Iron Explanatory Variables: Explanatory Variables: Income, race, age, marital status Income, race, age, marital status Worry running out of food, self-access health etc. Worry running out of food, self-access health etc.

Results Program Participation Program Participation 1. Income (+), country of origin (-), marital status (-), being African- American (+), presence of children (+), being a female (+), household ownership (+), and household size (-), etc. 2. Self-access health is good (-). Nutrient Intake Nutrient Intake Income (+), country of origin (+), college education (+), presence of children (-), smoke (-), age (-), dietary supplement (+), etc. Income (+), country of origin (+), college education (+), presence of children (-), smoke (-), age (-), dietary supplement (+), etc.

Average Treatment Effect Average Treatment Effect Male Female Pooled Male Female Pooled Protein *** *** *** Vitamin C Vitamin A *** *** *** Calcium *** *** *** Iron * * *

Conclusion Food Stamp Program has been improved in several ways: Food Stamp Program has been improved in several ways: 1. Use of EBT card 2. Nutrition Education Data Improvement Data Improvement 1. Previous: dietary recall Now: blood and urine examination Now: blood and urine examination

Conclusion Nutrition education Nutrition education Policy change on food restriction Policy change on food restriction for example: EBT card can be used to buy dietary supplement. for example: EBT card can be used to buy dietary supplement. Data collection methods Data collection methods more psychological questions (stigma) more psychological questions (stigma) for example: will you feel uncomfortable using EBT card when checking out? for example: will you feel uncomfortable using EBT card when checking out?