Cost-Effectiveness of Subsidizing Fruit and Vegetable through SNAP
2017
A diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with reduced risk of chronic disease - to incentivize consumption among low-income households one proposal is to make them more affordable through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This cost effectiveness analysis adopts a societal perspective to estimate the value of subsidizing fruit and vegetable (FV) purchases among the one in seven Americans who participate in SNAP.
A stochastic microsimulation model of obesity, type 2 diabetes, myocardial infarction, and stroke in the 2015 U.S. population were used to estimate lifetime costs and health gains associated with subsidizing FV purchases. Model parameters were based on nationally representative SNAP participation and dietary consumption data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003–2012), and data from a randomized trial of FV subsidies among SNAP users.
Despite cycling of participants in and out of SNAP, expanding a subsidy nationwide through SNAP would be expected to reduce incidence of type 2 diabetes by 1.7% (95% CI=1.2, 2.2), myocardial infarction by 1.4% (95% CI=0.9, 1.9), stroke by 1.2% (95% CI=0.8, 1.6), and obesity by 0.2% (95% CI=0.1, 0.3), and be cost saving from a societal perspective. The saved costs would be largely attributable to long-term reductions in type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Cost-Effectiveness of Subsidizing Fruit and Vegetable through SNAP
Source:
Choi SE, Seligman H, Basu S. Cost Effectiveness of Subsidizing Fruit and Vegetable Purchases through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2017; 52 (5): e147-e155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2016.12.013