ABSTRACT
This chapter evaluates the impacts of nutrition programs on food insecurity and hunger. It discusses the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Pyramid and the MyPlate Nutrition Communication Plans. The USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) manages the majority of national food programs. In addition, the Administration on Aging (AOA), which is a US Health and Human Services (HHS) agency, administers a set of food programs for the elderly under the authority of the 1965 Older Americans Act. In August 2013, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service appointed Mathematica Policy Research to conduct a study of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation effects on household food security. Results indicated that households receiving SNAP benefits for at least 6 months were less likely to be food insecure than new SNAP-participant households. The significance of the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) arises from both its scientific foundations and its funding effects on the SNAP Program.
