On food stamps and obesity

The USDA Economic Research Service has released a new 110 page study examining the link between food stamps and obesity.

From the report:


In 2005, FSP participants averaged $92.70 in monthly benefits at a cost of $31.0 billion to the government (USDA, 2006a). Ironically, it is in the period since the Food Stamp Act’s passage that the prevalence of obesity has increased so dramatically. Between 1971 and 1974, the FSP served between 9.3 and 12.8 million participants annually (USDA, 2006a), and the prevalence of obesity in the United States was 14.5 % (Flegal et al., 2002). These statistics have doubled. In 2005, the FSP served an estimated 25.7 million participants (USDA, 2006a), and the revalence of obesity is currently over 30 % (Flegal et al., 2002).

Later....

OLS results suggest Food Stamp receipt significantly increases female BMI by less
than one index point and significantly increases the female probability of being obese by a
couple of percentage points (two to five). In corresponding models that examine males, Foods
Stamps have statistically insignificant effects on BMI and obesity.