A study has shown the women who receive food stamps have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.  While the study does not blame food stamps, it does cite one possible reason as the small amount of assistance given to women and that healthy foods are far more expensive than calorie-dense, high fat food.  Women may simply be making poorer food choices for purely economical reasons. The study also reported this to be a “woman thing” as men on food stamps did not show an increased risk for weight gain that could lead to pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Per the article:

Some poor may not have access to transportation, refrigeration, or even adequate cooking facilities in order to buy whole food ingredients to cook for themselves. For these people, processed foods that don’t need refrigeration, preparation or cooking are their only option. For others, it is simply the most convenient option.

Zagorsky suggests policymakers should aim at changing the types of food that program participants purchase. Requiring education on nutrition is one option. A discount or additional benefit dollars for purchasing fresh fruit and vegetables is another suggestion for an incentive. “Modifying the Food Stamp Program to include economic incentives to eat healthier might be an important tool for fighting obesity,” Zagorsky said.

Many farmers markets in the local Portland, Oregon are now accepting food stamps to purchase more affordable healthy fruits and vegetables (see list). It would be nice to see this become a national trend.

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Source: Wendy Bumgardner. Food stamps make women fatter. Examiner.com. August 11, 2009.