Food insecurity, SNAP participation tied to higher ultra-processed food consumption
19 Jul 2022
Food insecurity and participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) appear to contribute to an increase in consumption of ultra-processed foods among adults, reports a US study.
A total of 9,190 adults aged 20‒65 years, with incomes ≤300 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), were included in this study. Food insecurity was evaluated through the Household Food Security Survey Module, whereas SNAP participation over the past 12 months was self-reported. The researchers measured dietary intake from two 24-h dietary recalls.
The NOVA food classification system was used to define ultra-processed food consumption (percentage of total energy intake). Finally, the researchers used linear regression models to explore the relationships between food insecurity, SNAP participation, and ultra-processed food consumption, adjusting for sociodemographic and health characteristics.
An association was found between more severe food insecurity and higher intakes of ultra-processed foods (ptrend=0.003). The adjusted means of ultra-processed food consumption ranged from 52.6 percent for adults with high food insecurity to 55.7 percent for adults with very low food security.
Likewise, SNAP participation correlated with higher intakes of ultra-processed foods (adjusted mean, 54.7 percent) compared with income-eligible participants (adjusted mean, 53.0 percent). SNAP participation also modified the link between food insecurity and ultra-processed foods (pinteraction=0.02).
Furthermore, more severe food insecurity correlated with higher consumption of ultra-processed foods among income-eligible nonparticipants and income-ineligible nonparticipants.
Of note, the association between food insecurity and ultra-processed foods consumption did not reach significance among SNAP participants.
“Ultra-processed foods contribute to risks of obesity and cardiometabolic disease, and higher intakes have been observed in low-income populations in the US,” the researchers said.