High number of U.S. kids get food stamps

2009-11-04 02:56:12 (GMT) (WiredPRNews.com - Health & Fitness, News)

Wired PR News reports a new study found that nearly half of all children in the U.S. would receive food stamps at some point during their childhood.

An estimated 50 percent of U.S. children will receive food stamps.

U.S. (WiredPRNews.com) – Researchers estimate that 50 percent of children in the U.S. will receive food stamps during their childhood. As reported by the Associated Press (AP), researchers analyzed data from a thirty year period and found that half of all children would at some point receive the benefits.

Mark Rank, lead author of the study and sociologist at Washington University in St. Louis, is quoted by the AP as stating of the findings, “Your neighbor may be using some of these programs but it’s not the kind of thing people want to talk about.” Ranks is further quoted as stating of the link between children on food stamps and malnutrition and other poverty related risks, “This is a real danger sign that we as a society need to do a lot more to protect children.”

James Weill, president of the Food Research and Action Center advocacy group in Washington, is quoted in the report as stating the analysis shows, “there are just very large numbers of people who rely on this program for a month, six months, a year…What I hope comes out of this study is an understanding that food stamp beneficiaries aren’t them — they’re us.”

More information about the analysis may be found in the November issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.”

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