For older adults struggling with food insecurity, the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, may do more than help them buy groceries — it could also support their brain health.

A study from the University of Georgia College of Public Health found that older adults who participated in SNAP experienced a slower rate of age-related cognitive decline than those who did not.

Suhang Song, PhD

“This study is the first nationally representative analysis to examine the long-term association between SNAP participation and cognitive decline across multiple domains among older Americans,” said Suhang Song, co-author of the study and assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management.

UGA researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from the Health and Retirement Study, which surveys Americans aged 50 and older every two years. Song and her team analyzed data from more than 2,000 people from 2010 to 2020 and found that the rate of cognitive decline was 0.10 points slower per year for SNAP participants than those who did not participate in SNAP but were eligible.

“Based on this crude rate, individuals who weren’t on SNAP could reach the commonly used threshold for mild cognitive impairment in about 10 years,” said Song. “Whereas SNAP users could take over 35 years to reach the same level.”

The SNAP participation rate among older adults is relatively low, with 4.8 million older Americans enrolled. Song hopes their findings will change that.

“There are 7.2 million people with dementia in 2025, and this number is projected to increase to more than 9 million in 2030,” said Song. “Our goal is to identify the preventive strategies to combat that. We want to focus on policy level changes where the impact would be at the population level or national level.”

While Song and her team found that SNAP may offer cognitive protection, the results weren’t consistent across all racial and ethnic groups. Among SNAP users, Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic SNAP participants experienced a faster decline in cognitive health compared with Non-Hispanic White participants, according to the study.

Song said these groups often face additional barriers that limit their participation in SNAP. Simplifying and providing help with the application process, offering online enrollment options and ensuring outreach programs that are tailored for diverse audiences could reduce the participation gaps, said Song.

Researchers note that expanding SNAP access wouldn’t only reduce food insecurity and possibly slow cognitive decline in older adults—it could potentially yield economic benefits as well. According to the study, Alzheimer’s disease is projected to cost the U.S. healthcare system more than $1 trillion by 2050.

Song hopes this study lays the groundwork for future research examining how nutrient-dense, higher-quality diets influence cognitive health and how to design interventions that maximize the benefits of SNAP for participants.

By Mackenzie Patterson