Food Stamps fuel America's appetite for junk food
- 12 years ago
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A record 47 million Americans are on food stamps, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as it is formally known. This costs the US federal government $75 billion per year.
Is that money being spent wisely? Research from the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University suggests not. A study from the center estimates that as much as $2.1 billion in food stamp money is being spent each year on sugary drinks.
Some states have proposed efforts to limit purchases to healthy food. But these efforts have been opposed by Big Candy, Big Soda and Big Food.
According to the report "Food Stamps: Follow the Money", companies such as PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and Mars Candy have lobbied Washington to preserve food stamp recipients' ability to keep buying junk food. They have poured money into 'anti-hunger' organizations that agree with this stance.
Food stamps is a huge business for Big Candy, Big Soda and Big Food. In fact, Kraft gets one-sixth of its revenue from food stamps.
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A record 47 million Americans are on food stamps, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as it is formally known. This costs the US federal government $75 billion per year.
Is that money being spent wisely? Research from the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University suggests not. A study from the center estimates that as much as $2.1 billion in food stamp money is being spent each year on sugary drinks.
Some states have proposed efforts to limit purchases to healthy food. But these efforts have been opposed by Big Candy, Big Soda and Big Food.
According to the report "Food Stamps: Follow the Money", companies such as PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and Mars Candy have lobbied Washington to preserve food stamp recipients' ability to keep buying junk food. They have poured money into 'anti-hunger' organizations that agree with this stance.
Food stamps is a huge business for Big Candy, Big Soda and Big Food. In fact, Kraft gets one-sixth of its revenue from food stamps.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NMAtv
Webpage: http://www.nma.tv/
Twitter @nmatv: https://twitter.com/#!/nmatv
Tumblr: http://nmatv.tumblr.com/