Americans on food stamps less likely to suffer from deadly brain disorder, study finds

Daily Mail​

a day ago

Americans using food stamps may have a lower risk of developing dementia, new research reveals.
A 10-year study unveiled Wednesday at the world's largest dementia conference compared 1,100 Americans enrolled in the Supplemental Nutritional Access Program (SNAP) to those who didn't receive the benefits.
SNAP provides about 41million low-income Americans with money to buy groceries like fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages.
It's also rumored to be on the chopping block as part of President Donald Trump 's 'Big Beautiful Bill,' which passed earlier this month.
Researchers involved in the new study found people with SNAP benefits had a 0.1 percent slower decline in cognitive function.
While the figure seems small, this amounts to getting another two to three years of cognitive health back.
And researchers suggested these additional years could stave off mild cognitive impairment, a precursor to dementia, by up to a decade.
The new study comes days after the groundbreaking US POINTER study found simple lifestyle changes like exercising and following the MIND diet could improve cognitive function.
Linlin Da, lead study author and PhD candidate in health services research at the University of Georgia, Athens, said: 'For someone starting at a healthy cognitive score, this slower decline could delay reaching the threshold for mild cognitive impairment by nearly a decade.
'This suggests SNAP participation, or another similar nutrition support program, could significantly delay the onset of cognitive impairment or dementia, allowing people to preserve their ability to manage medications, finances and daily tasks longer.
'This ultimately supports greater independence and higher quality of life in older adulthood.'
Dementia affects about 9million Americans and is on the rise, with experts suspecting it could strike 14million Americans by 2060.
While much of this increase is likely due to a growing older population, as the disease most often affects those over 65, surging rates of chronic conditions like heart disease, obesity and diabetes have also been blamed.
The new study, presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) in Toronto, used data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a national survey of Americans over age 50.
They compared 1,131 people enrolled in SNAP in 2010 to 1,216 people who were eligible for the program but not enrolled. The average age for each group was 63 and 66, respectively.
The team measured participants' memory and executive function, the ability to plan and carry out tasks, every two years between 2010 and 2020 via phone or online interviews.
While non-Hispanic white participants showed 0.1 percent slower cognitive decline, other races did not see the same results.
Da said: 'At the same time, we discovered that this protective effect is not the same for everyone: non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic older adults did not benefit as much in cognitive functions compared to non-Hispanic white participants.'
Black and Hispanic Americans have historically been prone to dementia, largely due to higher rates of conditions like diabetes and obesity, which induce harmful inflammation and damage blood vessels in areas of the brain responsible for memory.
Dr Suhang Song, corresponding study author and assistant professor at the University of Georgia College of Public Health, said: 'We hope health care providers will see that potentially delaying cognitive impairment is another reason to help their patients-in-need secure access to food assistance.'
The researchers did not specify why SNAP beneficiaries saw improvements, but it could be due to SNAP requiring participants to purchase brain-healthy foods like lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables and dairy rather than alcohol or sugary foods.
While the program itself allows for junk food, some states like Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Nebraska, Iowa, and Utah are working to prohibit the purchase of these with food stamps.
People experiencing food insecurity who are not on SNAP, meanwhile, may be more likely to be obese or have other conditions tied to dementia, as junk foods tend to be cheaper.
The study findings are in line with other research published at AAIC, including the US POINTER study, which looked at Americans who implemented diet and exercise changes into their routine over the course of two years.
That team found people who followed a strict regimen of exercise and a MIND-style diet had better cognitive scores than those who followed a self-guided plan, though both groups benefitted.
Dr Maria C Carrillo, Alzheimer's Association chief science officer and medical affairs lead who was not involved in the new research, said: 'Research has shown that food insecurity can negatively impact cognitive function, and this is one of the first long-term studies to show that food assistance programs can positively impact cognition.
'Simple, everyday actions can make a difference in brain health and may even lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.'