Are Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Restrictions on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Effective in Reducing Purchase or Consumption? A Systematic Review

Charles Alba, Xi Wang, Ruopeng An

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

The participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) consume greater amounts of sugar and sweetened beverages (SSBs) compared to non-eligible individuals, which could result in potential negative health outcomes. This can be attributed to the lack of restrictions on SSB purchases with SNAP benefits. In view of the increasing calls from advocates and policymakers to restrict the purchase of SSBs with SNAP benefits, we performed a systematic review to assess its impact towards SSB purchases and consumption. We searched articles from five databases-Cochrane, EBSCO, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and PubMed-and selected seven studies, four of which were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and three were simulation modeling studies. All three simulation studies and one RCT reported outcomes in terms of consumption, while the other three RCTs reported outcomes in terms of purchases. All seven studies found that an SSB restriction led to a decrease in SSB consumption or purchases, with six studies reporting significant results. Nonetheless, limitations exist. These include limited studies on this subject, potential workarounds circumventing SSB restrictions, like making purchases using personal cash, potentially differed estimated effects when combined with incentives or other initiatives, and the limited geographical scope among the selected RCTs.

Original languageEnglish (US)
JournalNutrients
Volume16
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - May 12 2024

Keywords

  • Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program
  • food stamps
  • sugar-sweetened beverage

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Food Science
  • Nutrition and Dietetics

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