The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) aims to alleviate food insecurity, yet limited evidence exists regarding its relationship with depressive symptoms over time. This research investigates the association between SNAP participation status and depressive symptoms among low-income individuals, utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2011 to 2018. Participants aged 20 years and older were included if they had information on depressive symptoms and SNAP usage. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), with a score of ≥ 10 indicating significant depressive symptoms. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were employed to assess the associations of SNAP status over time, categorized as: never receiving SNAP, receiving SNAP more than 12 months ago, currently receiving SNAP, and having received SNAP in the last 12 months but not currently. The findings revealed that individuals receiving SNAP and those who received SNAP in the previous 12 months but are not currently exhibiting higher levels of depressive symptoms and a greater prevalence of significant depressive symptoms. However, due to the study's cross-sectional design, causal inferences cannot be made, and reliance on self-reported measures may introduce bias. Overall, the results indicate that recent SNAP participation correlates with increased depressive symptoms among low-income individuals, suggesting that enhancing diet quality may be vital for mitigating these symptoms among SNAP beneficiaries. [NPID: SNAP, depression, nutrition assistance, government]
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