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Federal nutrition programs and childhood obesity: inside the black box

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  • Manan Roy
  • Daniel Millimet
  • Rusty Tchernis

Abstract

In response to the dramatic rise in childhood obesity, particularly among low income individuals, federal nutrition assistance programs have come under scrutiny. However, the vast majority of this research focuses on the direct relationship between these programs and child health, while little is known about the mechanisms by which such relationships arise. Using the 2007 American Time Use Survey and the Eating and Health Module, we explore differences in time use across families that participate in the Supplemental Nutriation Assistance Program (SNAP), the School Breakfast Program (SBP), and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) to better understand behavioral differences across participants and non-participants. These differences have important implications for future research and policy.
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Suggested Citation

  • Manan Roy & Daniel Millimet & Rusty Tchernis, 2012. "Federal nutrition programs and childhood obesity: inside the black box," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 10(1), pages 1-38, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:reveho:v:10:y:2012:i:1:p:1-38
    DOI: 10.1007/s11150-011-9130-9
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    Cited by:

    1. Daniel Millimet & Manan Roy, 2015. "Partial identification of the long-run causal effect of food security on child health," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 83-141, February.
    2. Chad D. Meyerhoefer & Muzhe Yang, 2011. "The Relationship between Food Assistance and Health: A Review of the Literature and Empirical Strategies for Identifying Program Effects," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 33(3), pages 304-344.
    3. David C. Ribar & Daniela Zapata, 2017. "Food assistance and family routines in three American Cities," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 223-238, March.
    4. Paul Bingley & Ian Walker, 2013. "There’s no such thing as a free lunch: evidence of altruism and agency from household expenditure responses to child nutrition programs," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 11(3), pages 371-392, September.
    5. Maoyong Fan & Yanhong Jin, 2015. "The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Childhood Obesity in the United States: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997," American Journal of Health Economics, MIT Press, vol. 1(4), pages 432-460, Fall.
    6. George Davis, 2014. "Food at home production and consumption: implications for nutrition quality and policy," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 565-588, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    School Breakfast Program; National School Lunch Program; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; Time use; Program evaluation; C31; H51; I18; I28;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C31 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models; Quantile Regressions; Social Interaction Models
    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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