Food Expenditures and Diet Quality Among Low-Income Households and Individuals (Summary)

The purpose of this study is to identify whether spending more money on food leads Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other low-income households to purchase and consume more nutritious foods. Specifically, the study analyzed the percentage and absolute change in diet-quality measures that are associated with a 10-percent increase in food expenditures for SNAP participants and income-eligible nonparticipants (i.e., with incomes under 130 percent of poverty). The study also seeks to identify other factors or household characteristics that may affect this relationship.