Nevada used DMV weight data to count overweight SNAP recipients

• Nevada DMV data shows that 61% of SNAP recipients are overweight.
• The restrictions on candy and sweet drinks are connected to Medicaid cuts from President Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill."

The state of Nevada used driver's license data to learn how many welfare recipients could stand to lose a few pounds.

That detail emerged as the federal government this month allowed Nevada to restrict certain SNAP purchases.

Starting Feb. 2, 2028, low-income residents will not be able to buy candy or sugary drinks with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. The state says it's an effort to help people make healthier food choices.

“Nevada’s Office of Analytics linked data records from the Division of Social Services and the Department of Motor Vehicle to analyze BMI scores," DSS spokesperson Kristle Muessle told the RGJ, adding the data did not include information that would identify anyone.

The analysis looked at 231,832 SNAP participants' height and weight on driver's licenses or state-issued ID cards to calculate body mass index.

"Of these individuals, approximately 142,410 (61%) met criteria for overweight or obesity based on BMI classification," the state's federal application to restrict spending on junk food says.

Body Mass Index, or BMI, estimates weight relative to height to classify adults in broad categories: underweight, healthy weight, overweight or obese. It does not distinguish between fat and muscle and is considered a screening tool rather than a diagnosis.

Showing that the majority of SNAP recipients are overweight helped make the case for restricting candy and sweet drink purchases.

Bryan Wachter, president of the Retail Association of Nevada, said government is butting in where it shouldn't.

“While I think it is going to be a dramatic change for retailers, it's perhaps a very dangerous area that we're entering for consumers as well,” he said.

“It's one thing to want to encourage folks to make very healthy choices, but I think it's another thing to suggest that because you are accepting benefits from the government, we are going to decide what you can eat and what you can't eat.”

Nevada receives about $1 billion a year in federal SNAP benefits. The state says sugary drinks and candy account for more than 11 percent of total SNAP spending.

Why restrict SNAP purchases?

Nevada joins nearly two dozen states that have moved to restrict SNAP purchases.

The push comes amid President Donald Trump's “Make American Healthy Again” agenda and so‑called “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

The budget proposal passed by Congress last summer decreased Medicaid funding for states. To offset this, the bill set aside $50 billion for helping rural communities affected by the bill’s Medicaid cuts.

States were told that adopting SNAP restrictions would be considered when awarding those rural funds.

It’s not clear how much of this rural health funding Nevada will receive from the federal government. The state received $180 million so far against a possible loss of $553 million in Medicaid spending.

Additional rural health funds will depend upon other states’ needs and how Nevada’s proposals align with the Trump administration’s goals.

Nevada submitted an application on restricting SNAP purchases Feb. 2 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

It says the candy and drink restrictions will “target modifiable dietary risk factors in the SNAP population to improve health outcomes and reduce long-term disease burden.”

The federal government approved the application March 4.

Are Nevadans in general overweight?

The true share of overweight SNAP recipients could be higher, since the analysis assumes accurate weight reporting to the DMV.

That said, other health data show that roughly six in ten Nevada adults are overweight or obese, a rate that closely mirrors the 61% share reported among SNAP participants.

According to data used by Nevada health officials in a 2013 report, 62% of adults statewide fall into those weight categories.

Using this knowledge, the state can compare SNAP recipients with the broader population, which faces no such purchasing limits, to see whether the restrictions change behavior.

Nevada’s federal application says success will be measured in other ways:

• Reductions in SNAP purchases of sugar-sweetened beverages and candy.
• Increased purchases of eligible food and drink alternatives.
• “Improved participant awareness and understanding of allowable SNAP purchases.”

What’s next?

The experiment is expected to run for two years once the program begins. Right now, it’s set to start Feb. 2, 2028, and expire Feb. 2, 2030.

The state estimates the effort will cost $3 million:

• $1 million from October 2026 to December 2027 for setup.
• $1 million in 2028 for first-year implementation.
• $1 million in 2029 for second-year implementation.

Nevada will provide the federal government with quarterly and annual program evaluations.  

“The Division of Social Services conducted several studies showing that Nevada continues to struggle with obesity, chronic disease and poor dental health,” said Muessle.

“This proposal is designed to support informed and healthier purchasing decisions, redirect existing purchasing power toward healthier food options, and help create lasting improvements in public health and social services.”

Among other measures of success will be how effectively the program is implemented, retailer compliance and awareness of the restrictions by SNAP recipients.

"To evaluate the project," Muessle said, the Division of Social Services "plans to conduct participant surveys and interviews with SNAP recipients to measure both health outcomes and behavior changes."

Mark Robison is the state politics reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal, with occasional forays into other topics. Email comments to mrobison@rgj.com or comment on Mark’s Greater Reno Facebook page.