Meal Consumption Patterns Throughout the SNAP Benefit Cycle

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipient benefits and resources are scarce near the end of the benefit month, increasing food insecurity and worsening nutrition. Missing meals or changes in meal timing can disrupt physiologic circadian systems that impact obesity risk. We sought to study whether meal consumption patterns vary from the time since the last SNAP benefit disbursement. Methods We used the USDA National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS) database to identify peaks in daily meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner) consumption using piecewise linear regression consumption as a function of days since last SNAP benefit disbursement. We then used these peaks in multivariable logistic regression with meal consumption as the outcome. If no peak was identified, days since disbursement was considered linearly. Analyses were stratified by age (2–5 years, 6–17 years, 18–64 years, and >65 years), adjusted for the primary respondent, free/reduced cost school meals, weekend survey day, multi-stage sampling design, and survey weights. Results There were 1,432 households and 4,850 individuals receiving SNAP, totaling 28,688 days of meal reporting data. Most participants were 18–64 years old (59.7%) and female (53.9%). For 6–17 year-olds, peak breakfast consumption was on day 25 and dinner on day 23. There was a significant decline after peak for breakfast (change in slope after peak −0.34, P = .005), but not dinner. For 18–64 year-olds, peak breakfast was on day 15 and lunch was on day 11, but the slope did not change significantly after these days. Other age and meal combinations did not identify a peak or have a significant linear association with days since the last snap benefit. Conclusions There were peaks in meal consumption in adolescents and working-age adults during the SNAP benefit month. Only for adolescents was there a decline in breakfast consumption after this peak. This pattern of missing breakfast and changes in meal timing may contribute to the risk of obesity. Additional research to understand what accounts for shifts in meal consumption across the benefit month, including SNAP benefit amount and benefit distribution timing (i.e., twice versus once per month), should be conducted to inform SNAP policies that work to curb the negative effects of food insecurity. Funding Sources University of Michigan.