SNAP to it, Congress — we need to address the obesity crisis now

The United States has witnessed historic and escalating rates of obesity among adults in recent decades. As of 2020, official government statistics indicate that obesity inflicts 42 percent of Americans, including one in five children.  

Obesity disproportionately affects low-income populations, who often rely on federal programs for assistance. Congress can combat the obesity epidemic by reforming federal programs, especially the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This involves restricting the purchase of unhealthy foods through SNAP and creating incentives to promote the consumption of fruits and vegetables. 

SNAP provides monthly food benefits to low-income households, making it a well-positioned tool to address the obesity epidemic. Approximately 13 percent of the U.S. population receives SNAP in a given month, making it one of the federal government’s largest safety net programs. The program’s stated goal is to “raise the nutrition levels of low-income households,” yet 40 percent of adult SNAP recipients suffer from obesity and almost 45 percent have received a diagnosis of diet-related disease — far higher rates than the general population.  

In fact, USDA’s Food & Nutrition Service reports that soft drinks are among the top purchases of SNAP recipients. Last fiscal year, federal expenditures on SNAP topped $119 billion, a 70 percent increase over the past two decades in constant dollars. During the same time that Congress has made unprecedented investments in SNAP, obesity rates have continued to climb, proving SNAP as ineffective in accomplishing its primary objective of enhancing nutrition among participants. 

The costs of the obesity epidemic, both economic and personal, are staggering. Obesity causes severe health problems that affect the daily lives of millions of Americans by reducing their mobility, decreasing productivity, and creating stress and mental health challenges. Obesity’s impact extends beyond individual health, though — it is exacerbating our nation’s fiscal challenges by claiming a sizable share of healthcare expenditures, especially Medicare and Medicaid dollars. 

James Capretta of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) points out that Medicare and Medicaid are important drivers of the U.S. debt problem because health care costs are rising and American taxpayers foot much of the bill. An important strategy to address this fiscal challenge involves people becoming healthier to slow the rising costs of healthcare in the U.S. 

Estimates of overall medical costs associated with obesity are staggering — and rising. One recent study suggested that obesity-related medical costs topped $260 billion in 2016, of which Medicaid and Medicare covered between 25 and 40 percent. According to another study, almost 12 percent of Medicaid dollars and 10 percent of Medicare spending treat obesity-related conditions. For comparison, experts estimate that the medical costs associated with cancer in the U.S. are around $200 billion per year. 

If SNAP more effectively addressed nutrition, it could help reduce the prevalence of obesity, which in turn would lower healthcare costs in the U.S. and help address the country’s long-term fiscal challenges. 

There is no misunderstanding that the fiscal challenges facing the country are indeed severe. Economists warn that the United States must address its current fiscal challenges or face the prospects of an irreparable default. As per an analysis by the Penn Wharton Budget Model, a lack of corrective action over the next two decades would mean that “no amount of future tax increases or spending cuts could avoid the government defaulting on its debt whether explicitly or implicitly.” Policymakers must act now to avoid this fate. 

Lifestyle and behavioral factors heavily influence the onset of obesity, combined with genetic factors. Preventing obesity from the start requires public policies that prioritize nutrition and healthy behaviors. SNAP must better meet this challenge.  

An important first step is to restrict sweetened beverages from SNAP. Future steps include incentivizing fruit and vegetable consumption, while rolling back access to less nutritious foods, such as snack foods. A recent dietary study concluded that “snacks accounted for between 20% and 22% of total energy intake across all participants, while contributing very little nutritional quality”. 

SNAP is a crucial safety net program that provides nutrition support to low-income households. It should also help them be healthy by prioritizing nutrition. One of us is a member of Congress and the other is a researcher, but we both conclude the same: SNAP must more effectively address the obesity crisis. Not only will nutrition reforms to SNAP improve the health of low-income Americans, they are necessary to help address the country’s impending fiscal crisis.    

Rep. Andy Harris, M.D., is the current chairman of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies subcommittee on the House Appropriations Committee. He represents Maryland’s First Congressional District. 

Angela Rachidi is a senior fellow and the Rowe Scholar in opportunity and mobility studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where she studies poverty and the effects of federal safety-net programs on low-income individuals and families in America.