SNAP Participation and Diet Quality Among American Adults: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of NHANES Data

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation and diet quality among American adults, as measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015.Methods: This study utilized cross-sectional data from the 2017-2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).Diet quality was assessed using HEI-2015 scores, which quantify adherence to dietary guidelines.The primary exposure was SNAP participation status in the past 12 months.The analysis included 8,092 adults aged 20-80 years.Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine associations between SNAP participation and HEI scores, adjusting for socioeconomic and demographic confounders, such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, and income level.Results: Unadjusted analysis indicated that non-SNAP participants had a marginally higher mean HEI score (49.29) compared to SNAP participants (48.90).Adjusted regression models revealed that non-SNAP participants had a slightly higher HEI score (+0.906), although the difference was not statistically significant (p 0.559).The findings suggest that while SNAP participation supports food security, its impact on diet quality may be limited and influenced by broader socioeconomic factors.Conclusions: The study highlights the complexity of improving diet quality through SNAP.While the program alleviates food insecurity, its potential to enhance nutritional outcomes may require complementary interventions, such as nutritional education and improved access to healthy foods.Further research is necessary to explore these dynamics and inform policy improvements.