Premium
Does Participation in the Food Stamp Program Increase the Prevalence of Obesity and Health Care Spending?
Author(s) -
Meyerhoefer Chad D.,
Pylypchuk Yuriy
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
american journal of agricultural economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.949
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1467-8276
pISSN - 0002-9092
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8276.2007.01125.x
Subject(s) - food stamp program , food stamps , overweight , obesity , health care , environmental health , panel data , medicine , demographic economics , gerontology , economics , economic growth , econometrics , welfare , market economy
We use panel data techniques and information on state‐level Food Stamp Program characteristics to obtain unbiased estimates of the impact of Food Stamp Program participation on weight status and health care spending among nonelderly adults. Our results suggest that program participation by women leads to a 5.9% (p = 0.07) increase in their likelihood of overweight and obesity, which is smaller than previous estimates, and to higher medical expenditures. The direct effect of program participation on medical spending through higher discretionary income is significantly larger than the indirect effect through changes in weight status.