Children’s HealthWatch published a new policy brief on the consequences of limiting young children’s access to SNAP.
Too Many Hurdles: Barriers to Receiving SNAP Put Children’s Health at Risk
Research by Children’s HealthWatch shows that young children in families that did not receive SNAP due to administrative and other difficulties were more likely to be child food insecure (sometimes called child hunger) and significantly underweight for their age (an indication of under nutrition). These young children were also more likely to live in households that were struggling to put food on the table (household food insecure) and living in crowded/doubled up conditions or moving frequently. Our previous research has shown that children in food-insecure households whose families participate in SNAP are significantly more likely to be in good or excellent health than children in similar families that do not have access to the program. Removing barriers to accessing SNAP can protect the health of America’s children.