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Ben Chrisinger

@bchrisinger.bsky.social
2K followers 1.3K following 623 posts

Assistant Professor in Community Health at Tufts, formerly faculty @dspi-oxford@bsky.social. I study place and health, especially food and welfare. #SNAPmatters facultyprofiles.tufts.edu/benjamin-…

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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 22h
Having recently gotten a new cell plan I assume he means more expensive than you’d expect, time-consuming, difficult to compare, and dominated by like 3 companies.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 23h
Misinformation, disinformation, hidden motives… Who could blame consumers for being confused? 🥗 🛟
theguardian.com
A ‘freaked out’ US food industry is hitting back at Maha – with social media influencers
Cross-partisan support in Washington on issues like pesticides and food additives pose a threat to the industry’s bottom line
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
The inconsistencies in MAHA have been clear for a long time. But I don’t blame folks for earnestly having a glimmer of hope for making a healthier food system. But it’s telling that one of the only MAHA “wins” is taking choices away from SNAP participants. 🥗
theguardian.com
Food-borne illnesses, funding cuts and layoffs: Maha movement’s glaring limitations are now showing
Policies enacted by RFK Jr have not delivered the expected results, but have instead hindered people’s ability to eat healthy
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Hansi Lo Wang (he/him) @hansilowang.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
SCOOP: After the Census Bureau issued a highly unusual report tied to a President Trump-aligned think tank, the bureau’s parent agency, the Commerce Department, cut language banning political interference from its scientific integrity policy, @npr.org has learned www.npr.org/2026/08/31/n...
npr.org
Trump officials cut political interference ban after unusual Census Bureau report
After the Census Bureau issued a report tied to a Trump-aligned think tank, the bureau's parent agency cut language banning political interference from its scientific integrity policy, NPR learned.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
By now you’ve seen headlines on early evidence from state SNAP restriction and soda purchases. I urge you to read this excellent explainer on the structural issues these evaluations face. We should view evaluation evidence with this (rather substantial) grain of salt. 🥗 🛟 🩺📈
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Milbank Memorial Fund & The Milbank Quarterly @milbankfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Since 2025, the USDA has granted waivers to 23 states to restrict the types of foods that can be purchased with SNAP benefits. In a new Milbank Quarterly guest Opinion, authors describe the lack of data for evaluating the dietary impact of such restrictions and other evaluation challenges.
milbank.org
SNAP Food Restrictions May Help or Hurt—But We Will Probably Never Know | Milbank Memorial Fund
It is important to rigorously assess whether SNAP restrictions on foods yield meaningful benefits to diet and health. Yet evaluation faces numerous challenges.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
States are scrambling to reduce SNAP error rates (making enrollment much harder), but basic stats principles (sampling & uncertainty) are overlooked. "...there is no guarantee that good-faith efforts to improve program administration will be reflected in the form of a lower payment error rate"
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
New study out today on SNAP restrictions and soda (not my work). I spoke with @statnews.com to put it in context. Big finding: soda purchases declined among SNAP shoppers w/ restrictions. Equally big finding: restrictions have led to stigma; participants feel disrespected and judged. 🛟 🥗 🩺📈
statnews.com
Americans bought 12% less soda under new SNAP restrictions, study says
The drop in soda purchases is meaningful, but not enormous, one of the study's authors said.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
New study out today on SNAP restrictions and soda (not my work). I spoke with @statnews.com to put it in context. Big finding: soda purchases declined among SNAP shoppers w/ restrictions. Equally big finding: restrictions have led to stigma; participants feel disrespected and judged. 🛟 🥗 🩺📈
statnews.com
Americans bought 12% less soda under new SNAP restrictions, study says
The drop in soda purchases is meaningful, but not enormous, one of the study's authors said.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
SNAP participants can volunteer in order to meet the work requirement. This is especially helpful for folks that can't find suitable work beyond the 3-month SNAP time limit. How easy is it to use the volunteer option? Depends on where you live. Great analysis from @fracposts.bsky.social
frac.org
State Approaches to the Volunteer Option to Meet SNAP Time Limit Work Requirements - Food Research & Action Center
People subject to SNAP time limits can meet these work requirements through volunteering or unpaid work. But access to that option varies widely depending on how states promote, administer, and suppor...
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
SNAP participants can volunteer in order to meet the work requirement. This is especially helpful for folks that can't find suitable work beyond the 3-month SNAP time limit. How easy is it to use the volunteer option? Depends on where you live. Great analysis from @fracposts.bsky.social
frac.org
State Approaches to the Volunteer Option to Meet SNAP Time Limit Work Requirements - Food Research & Action Center
People subject to SNAP time limits can meet these work requirements through volunteering or unpaid work. But access to that option varies widely depending on how states promote, administer, and suppor...
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Anytime you hear about SNAP "error rate" (ineligible people receiving SNAP), remember it's ONLY PART of the equation. Payment error rates are MUCH smaller compared to "case and procedural error rates" (eligible people wrongly denied SNAP). Great analysis from @fracposts.bsky.social 🛟 🥗
frac.org
Balancing SNAP Accuracy and Access: Pay Attention to CAPERs - Food Research & Action Center
Published June 10, 2026 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payment error rates (PER) are in the spotlight. The H.R. 1 megabill changed the way that SNAP benefits will be paid for: Starti...
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Anytime you hear about SNAP "error rate" (ineligible people receiving SNAP), remember it's ONLY PART of the equation. Payment error rates are MUCH smaller compared to "case and procedural error rates" (eligible people wrongly denied SNAP). Great analysis from @fracposts.bsky.social 🛟 🥗
frac.org
Balancing SNAP Accuracy and Access: Pay Attention to CAPERs - Food Research & Action Center
Published June 10, 2026 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payment error rates (PER) are in the spotlight. The H.R. 1 megabill changed the way that SNAP benefits will be paid for: Starti...
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Total UPF intake associated with lower diet quality among SNAP participants, BUT some UPF subgroups associated with higher diet quality. Results seem to warrant caution for UPF-oriented SNAP restrictions... 🛟 🥗
sciencedirect.com
Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and diet quality among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participating adults
Ultra-processed food (UPF) intake is linked to poor health, though some subgroups may offer affordable, nutritious options. Few studies have examined …
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
This is dangerous. What blows my mind is the AI front of universal expertise. Like, a professional (or good friend) would might say, “this is serious, I don’t know everything about this. Let’s connect you to someone who does.” There is help - good help, live-saving help - out there.
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Katie Bergh @katiebergh.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Exactly this. People who want SNAP caseloads to return to where they were 25 years ago should probably explain why they want a highly effective & efficient anti-hunger program to reach a much smaller share of the people who need it.
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Pam Herd @pamherd.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
The NYT piece notes SNAP use doubled since the early 2000s to explain cuts. But SNAP take up was artificially low. In the 90s ~80% of the eligible received benefits. This dropped to 52% by 2002. Bush admin worked on it. We were back at ~90%. We're about to see take-up among the eligible plummet.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
HR1 is making states fearful of SNAP errors, yes. But these kinds of errors - denying or delaying SNAP to eligible people - aren’t counted in the HR1 equation Don’t forget: SNAP is food. When people need it, they need it yesterday. 🛟 🥗
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
anyone else noticed how flying anywhere for any reason has become awful? never *loved* air travel but geesh this feels worse than ever
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Project Bread @projectbread.org · 06/07/2026
☀️🍉⚽ Happy Summer Eats Awareness Week! School’s out, and summer meals are IN. Join us in promoting this completely free, awesome program that provides nutritious meals and fun for kids across Massachusetts during summer break, all summer long.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Congressional GOP now “dunking” on advocates about SSBs and the “Nutrition” part of SNAP acronym… Should give pause to public health folks supporting restriction. SNAP is **the tool** to reduce poverty and food insecurity. These “gotcha” moments wont lead to stronger SNAP. They undermine it.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Hunger is a policy choice.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Key to this judgment is that only Congress can impose SNAP restriction (though will have to see how it plays out in courts…) Don’t sleep on this: proponents are already pitching nationwide SNAP restrictions in Congress. SNAP needs protection, this is not it.
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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Your Prime Day reminder that half of Amazon warehouse workers struggle with food & housing costs. A third have had to rely on government assistance like SNAP — which was gutted last year. If Bezos can spend $500M on a yacht, Amazon can afford to treat its workers with dignity.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Key to this judgment is that only Congress can impose SNAP restriction (though will have to see how it plays out in courts…) Don’t sleep on this: proponents are already pitching nationwide SNAP restrictions in Congress. SNAP needs protection, this is not it.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
A brief observation on framing: The setup isn't "should SNAP be used to buy candy" OR "should SNAP be restricted from candy purchases." It's "should SNAP stay a straightforward program serving many different needs," or not. Even the NYT photo (candy) falls into this trap. 🥗 🛟
nytimes.com
Judge Blocks Bans on Using Food Stamps for Sugary Drinks and Candy
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Russell England @russellengland.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
"When a child born today becomes a parent, the average temperatures of summer 1976 will be normal. When they become a grandparent, they will look back and think that the summer of 1976, or even the summer of 2025, were remarkably cold." - Professor Ed Hawkins 50th anniversary of the 1976 heatwave
Average summer temperature anomaly in 1976 - most of the world is blue, the UK and Northern France are redAverage summer temperature anomaly in 2025 - most of the world is red or dark red
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
A brief observation on framing: The setup isn't "should SNAP be used to buy candy" OR "should SNAP be restricted from candy purchases." It's "should SNAP stay a straightforward program serving many different needs," or not. Even the NYT photo (candy) falls into this trap. 🥗 🛟
nytimes.com
Judge Blocks Bans on Using Food Stamps for Sugary Drinks and Candy
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
More complicated rules also raise risk of eligible people being declined. Seeing this powerfully now with SNAP, where states are scrambling to lower error rates (or else pay millions in benefit costs).
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Similar trends in SNAP, for some similar reasons. Plus states are fretting more about error rates (will be used to calculate benefit cost-sharing obligations - a huge financial risk). Many people who are *fully eligible* for safety net programs are not getting to them.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
So much of me wants to like what Booker is saying. But too much of me knows health behaviors are downstream results of structural issues.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
New in @us.theconversation.com: What are the new rules for SNAP food retailers really about? 🥗 🛟 doi.org/10.64628/AAI...
doi.org
New SNAP rules requiring that benefits be used at stores selling healthier food could backfire
Many convenience stores, corner markets, bodegas and other small stores will have to make changes if they want to continue to accept SNAP benefits.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
New in @us.theconversation.com: What are the new rules for SNAP food retailers really about? 🥗 🛟 doi.org/10.64628/AAI...
doi.org
New SNAP rules requiring that benefits be used at stores selling healthier food could backfire
Many convenience stores, corner markets, bodegas and other small stores will have to make changes if they want to continue to accept SNAP benefits.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
The subtext to USDA's new SNAP retailer stocking rule is about participants: Where *should* SNAP participants buy food? The reality is most SNAP is spent at supermarkets, who will meet the new rule without any effort. The impact is on smaller stores. 🛟 🥗 #academicsky
usda.gov
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
The subtext to USDA's new SNAP retailer stocking rule is about participants: Where *should* SNAP participants buy food? The reality is most SNAP is spent at supermarkets, who will meet the new rule without any effort. The impact is on smaller stores. 🛟 🥗 #academicsky
usda.gov
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Had a great discussion with FRAC's Gina Plata-Nino and Princeton's @heatherhhoward.bsky.social about the current and future challenges for SNAP. In short, massive changes, a lot of uncertainty, huge need for monitoring and evaluation. @fracposts.bsky.social @princetonchw.bsky.social 🥗 🛟
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Center for Health and Wellbeing at Princeton University @princetonchw.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
The Princeton Pulse Podcast explores looming threats to SNAP, a federal program that prevents millions of Americans from going hungry. Host @heatherhhoward.bsky.social is joined by @bchrisinger.bsky.social from @tufts.edu and @fracposts.bsky.social's Gina Plata-Nino. Listen: tinyurl.com/34un45ck
tinyurl.com
PODCAST: Fighting Hunger in America - The Future of SNAP and the Evolution of Food Policy
This episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast highlights looming threats to SNAP, a federal program that prevents millions of Americans from going hungry.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Voters across the political spectrum converging on support for regulating ingredients in processed foods. And yet… it’s still regulation. Great overview of the US food policy landscape from @hbottemiller.bsky.social @foodfixco.bsky.social
Speaker in front of a podium giving a talk in front of audience and three panelists seated on stage. Slide with stacked bar charts showing breakdown of support for changing ingredients in processed foods by party identification.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
too often we forget that the public-facing consumer product isn’t the end game for tech companies. like what’s the Meta/Waymo/Nest pitch to police, DoD?
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
What’s the time cost of disabling/getting CoPilot out of the way across all products and devices on a (seems like) daily basis?
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
A distinguishing feature of SNAP has been the ease of participation. That some states are eager to scrap that for some possible short-term health gains…
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Years from now, there will be required research ethics trainings that cite this case as an example and warning. The avoidable suffering and clear power imbalances make it even sadder.
theguardian.com
Experts fear ‘unethical’ vaccine trial in Africa is ‘prototype’ for US studies under RFK Jr
Danish researchers whose work on effects of vaccines has been called into question are at center of US vaccine policy
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
I sense that somewhere, some academic is writing a think-piece, e.g., “This is ACTUALLY the Best Time in History to Be Alive”. Could we not? Thx
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Giving Bluth
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Excited to see coverage of our @jama.com viewpoint in the latest @foodfixco.bsky.social newsletter! We described state initiatives to ban unhealthy foods from SNAP and the different arguments for and against... (1/2) 🥗 🩺 🛟
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Edwin Park @edwincpark.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
Georgetown CCF now has a new state-by-state #Medicaid enrollment tracker based on monthly state administrative data, which can help identify enrollment trends moving forward including as states implement H.R. 1's draconian cuts. This blog explains the new tracker: ccf.georgetown.edu/2026/02/26/n...
ccf.georgetown.edu
New State-by-State Medicaid and CHIP Tracker Shows Declining Enrollment as H.R. 1 Cuts Loom
Georgetown CCF has been closely tracking Medicaid and CHIP enrollment periodically over the past decade, – most recently as states began “unwinding” continuous coverage protections put in place during...
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
Out today in @jama.com : @drlauraschmidt.bsky.social and I weigh the merits of nutritional SNAP restrictions. While we didn't agree on restriction overall, we were united in our concern about broader changes to SNAP that will undermine the program. 🛟 🥗 🩺
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Re-sharing as reminder that “fraud” is all some people ever hear about safety net programs. It’s not an accurate portrayal, but that’s the media ecosystem we’re working with.
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Dude you just gutted rural health funding
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Ben Chrisinger @bchrisinger.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Great postdoc opportunity in Community Health at Tufts! My wonderful colleague Beth Marfeo is looking to recruit someone working at the intersection of public health policy, politics, and aging. #PhDsky #academicsky #publichealth
jobs.tufts.edu
Postdoctoral Scholar - Community Health in Medford, Massachusetts | Tufts University
Tufts University is hiring a Postdoctoral Scholar - Community Health in Medford, Massachusetts. Review all of the job details and apply today!
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