The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), best known for helping low-income Americans afford groceries, may also help protect against COVID-19 and other chronic illnesses, according to a new study.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, found that U.S. adults who struggle to afford food were significantly more likely to develop long COVID and less likely to recover from it than those who are food secure. However, SNAP participation significantly mitigated the odds of getting long COVID for Americans with food insecurity.
“At a time when millions of Americans are at risk of experiencing reduced SNAP benefits, our findings underscore the importance of food security programs for all Americans, but especially those with chronic conditions,” said Madison McCarthy, one of the study’s authors and a student in the Yale School of Public Health’s Advanced Professional Master of Public Health program.
Led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, the study is believed to be the first nationally representative analysis to examine how a lack of reliable access to food relates to lingering COVID symptoms.
Approximately 42 million Americans typically receive monthly SNAP benefits.
The research team drew on data from more than 21,000 adults surveyed between 2022 and 2023 through the National Health Interview Survey, a large ongoing survey that monitors the health of the U.S. population by collecting information on a broad range of health topics. The team found more than twice as many food-insecure as food-secure adults reported having long COVID, 15% vs. 7%. After adjusting for demographic and health factors, food insecurity was associated with a 73% higher likelihood of developing long COVID and a 30% lower likelihood of recovery among those who experienced it.
However, SNAP participation appeared to offset some of those risks. Food-insecure adults who were enrolled in SNAP, as well as the unemployed—two groups more likely to receive federal food assistance—had lower odds of long COVID than working adults or those not receiving assistance.
Expanding SNAP eligibility, simplifying enrollment processes, and increasing awareness of food assistance programs may reduce the burden of food insecurity and long COVID, the study’s authors said.
“With the long-term costs of long COVID in the U.S. estimated to be $2.6 trillion, investing in SNAP represents a cost-effective strategy to reduce its burden and improve population health,” said John C. Lin, a medical student at the University of Pennsylvania and the study’s lead author.
More than 13% of U.S. households experience food insecurity, defined as a lack of consistent access to enough food to meet one’s basic needs. Health conditions that have been linked to inadequate access to nutritious food include diabetes, heart disease, and poor mental health.
While the observational study does not prove cause and effect, it shows that the SNAP program’s potential impact extends far beyond hunger relief and could also play a key role in improving long-term population health.
Other authors contributing to the study were Dr. Jaya Aysola (senior author), Ruiqi Yan, and Sriya Potluri at the University of Pennsylvania, and Dang Nguyen of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.