Impacts of SNAP benefit increases on US child food insufficiency during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic reversed a decade of progress in reducing child food insufficiency in the United States. Congress implemented a universal 15% increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from January 2021 through September 2021 to address rising child food hardship.

METHODS

We conducted a difference-in-differences analysis using US Census Bureau data to evaluate the impact of this temporary expansion on child food insufficiency. We compared 9776 SNAP participating households with 18 961 eligible non-participating households, examining changes before and during the benefit expansion period while accounting for demographic and economic characteristics.

RESULTS

The expansion was associated with a 20% reduction in the odds of child food insufficiency among SNAP participants compared with eligible non-participants (OR = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.66 to 0.97). Hispanic-American households experienced a 39% reduction (OR = 0.61; 95% CI = 0.47 to 0.80), and households with six or more members showed a 33% reduction (OR = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.45 to 1.02).

CONCLUSIONS

The 15% SNAP benefit expansion in 2021 effectively reduced child food insufficiency during the pandemic, with particularly strong protective effects among Hispanic-American and large households. These findings support a universal food benefit expansion improving child health needs during a national health and economic crisis.