How SNAP changes during the pandemic affected diet and health
Official title: Evaluating the Implementation and De-Implementation of Pandemic Era SNAP Expansion on Diet and Health: A Mixed Methods Project
Funded at Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health · NIH-11552203 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how expanding and then ending pandemic-era SNAP benefits impacted adults’ diet, stress, and health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $686,213 |
| NIH project number | 4R01NR021098-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11552203 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21+ who participate in SNAP or are affected by changes in SNAP policy.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not impacted by SNAP policy changes or those outside the adult population may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This research examines how changes to SNAP during the COVID era influenced what adults eat and how they feel and health outcomes like BMI and mood. Using mixed methods, the team will collect survey data, focus groups, and interviews to map state policies and participant experiences from 2020 to 2023. The goal is to connect policy implementation and de-implementation with diet quality, food insecurity, expenditures, and health outcomes to understand the real-world impact on adults. The study builds on prior work and creates a new database to track how SNAP changes were carried out and how they affected people’s lives.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide policymakers to design SNAP policies that better support healthy eating and mental well-being.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has linked SNAP changes to diet and health, but this project adds a comprehensive, longitudinal look across states with mixed-methods data.
Where this research is happening
-
Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Leung, Cindy — Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health
- Study coordinator: Leung, Cindy
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.