Food Stamps As Medicine: A New Perspective on Children’s HealthWatch

A decade of clinical research by C-SNAP shows that food stamps are an essential medicine for America’s youngest and most vulnerable children. Infants and toddlers in food insecure households are at increased risk for iron deficiency anemia, deficits in cognitive development, and behavioral and emotional problems, all of which can impede their readiness for school and their future productivity as adults in the workforce. Indeed, C-SNAP has recently found that children receiving food stamps are 26% less likely to be food insecure than eligible children not receiving food stamps, suggesting that they are less likely to suffer from the
negative effects of food insecurity. The connection is strong: food insecurity contributes to developmental problems and poor health among children, and food stamps decrease child food insecurity.