Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed food stamps are fueling diabetes – as he called Sunday to block the taxpayer-funded welfare program for being used to buy soda and candies.
“Taxpayers should not be financing that,” Kennedy said on the “Cats Roundtable” on WABC 770 AM radio.
He said 18% of federal food stamps to poor families is spent “on candy and sugared drinks” even as nearly 40% of children now have juvenile diabetes.
Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
”We are actually paying for people to get diabetes,” RFK told host John Catsimatidis.
Sugary and fatty foods also contribute to obesity.
American taxpayers are paying twice, RFK said — beginning with funding the purchase of food stamps, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The program issues electronic benefits that can be used like cash to purchase food.
“We’re paying again when they get [treated] through Medicaid and, ultimately, Medicare. We are poisoning them with sugars and ultra-processed food,” RFK said.
SNAP helps low-income working people, senior citizens, the disabled and others feed their families. Eligibility and benefit levels are based on household size, income and other factors.
