(P07-44-26) A Cross-Sectional Study on Food and Nutrition Insecurity Among SNAP Participants in the Southern United States

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of Food Insecurity (FI) and Nutrition Insecurity (NI), examine their association, and identify sociodemographic correlates among SNAP participants residing in the Southern U.S.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,021 adults who received SNAP benefits within the past 12 months across 16 states, using Qualtrics. Food insecurity (FI) was measured using the USDA 10-item Adult Food Security Module, and nutrition insecurity (NI) was assessed using a validated 4-item Nutrition Security Tool. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses, including chi-square tests, were used for analysis to examine the association between FI, NI, and sociodemographic characteristics.

Results: Among 1,021 adults, the sample was predominantly early middle-aged (47%), female (54%), and non-Hispanic White (66.1%); most were employed (62%) and over half had at least one child in the household (54%). Overall, 74.6% of respondents were classified as food insecure and 56.8% as nutrition insecure. In bivariate analyses, both FI and NI differed significantly by age, employment status, and household size (p < .001), with higher security observed among older adults and retired participants and higher insecurity among students and households with two to three members. Nutrition insecurity was substantially more prevalent among food-insecure respondents compared with food-secure respondents (71.8% vs. 12.7%, p < .001).

Conclusions: These findings demonstrate a strong overlap between food and nutrition insecurity among SNAP recipients in the Southern U.S., underscoring the need to address food quality alongside food quantity in nutrition assistance programs. Although food and nutrition insecurity overlapped, a substantial proportion of food-insecure households remained nutritionally secure, underscoring that these constructs are related but distinct. Future research should examine the structural, economic, and environmental factors contributing to persistent nutrition insecurity, even among households receiving federal food assistance.

Funding Sources: Start-up support provided by the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Oklahoma State University