Supermarket Sweep: Does SNAP = Obesity

We've all been to the grocery store on the first of the month when people receive their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program check (SNAP check).    No, this blog isn't about having the government stop giving assistance, but it's about how individuals shop who are on government assistance.  I've gone to the grocery store multiple times during this period of people getting their SNAP check with my one hand carry basket with all my healthy items, but then I see people with two push baskets with a mountain of unhealthy food.  We've all seen the mountain baskets filled to the tip top with soda, chips, snack cakes, sugary cereals, and other bad processed foods.  The first thing that comes to my mind is,"I'm paying for them to eat bad and then I have to pay for healthcare because they have obesity-related disease from unhealthy food and sedentary living".  Smacks me twice and call me stupid.  Research has been done on this group of people and it shows that SNAP

participation may actually cause an increase in the likelihood of obesity for low-income women. My opinion on this statement is the likelihood that if the mothers are obese it's a good chance the family is too.  It's not guaranteed for every family....just let me say that.   I feel the government should monitor the SNAP check situation by making it a requirement that individuals buy certain food with SNAP checks. Why should I have to pay for someone to eat items that I myself  wouldn't buy or put on my kitchen table?  I feel we need to stop this obesity epidemic by controlling what individuals by with SNAP.  We may need to specify what people can & can't buy or just  monitor how much they buy of a certain item - kind of like they do with WIC - and make sure they are buying healthy food that will help the baby.  Also, we need to have more supermarkets in low-income areas.  With better markets come better & healthier food choices.  This will also help local farmers sell more of their stock of vegetables and other non-processed food, which will bring more money into cities & towns.