The Effects of Food Stamps on Food Consumption: A Review of the Literature

Excerpts from the report: The many studies of the effects of food stamps on food consumption that have been conducted during the past two decades have been based on underlying data sets, analytic techniques, and food consumption outcome measures that vary widely. Such variation, as well as the sheer volume of the research results, makes it difficult for the potential user of this research to grasp either the consensus findings or the range of findings on the effects of food stamps on food consumption. The objective of this report is to rectify this situation by systematically summarizing in one document the findings from 17 studies of the effects of food stamps on the money value of food used by households, 8 studies of the effects of the FSP on the availability of nutrients in the household from the home food supply, and 8 studies of the effects of the FSP on the intake of nutrients by individuals.