Patterns Of Food Security And Dietary Intake During The First Half Of The Child Tax Credit Expansion

• DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01864
• Publication Date: 2022-05-02T19:51:38Z
• Authors: Elizabeth Adams; Tegwyn Brickhouse; Roddrick Dugger; Melanie Bean
• Keywords: Consumption

Temporary expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) during COVID-19 pandemic provided additional monthly income for US families, with no restrictions on use, from July through December 2021. This study examined food security and children’s dietary intake after three months expanded CTC payments. Parents completed online surveys before Among parents participating in expansion, beverage purchases were most common use funds (45.9 percent), particularly households very low (63.0 percent). From to midway decreased 12.7 percent 5.6 percent, simultaneously, increased 57.4 66.4 percent. The was also associated decreases consumption added sugar, sugar-sweetened beverages, sweetened fruit beverages. No changes observed other components. Our findings suggest that payments may have helped lessen insecurity supported reductions sugar households.