The definition of obesity is the condition of being very fat or overweight. “Obesity has many causes, but some experts believe the [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] structure deserves some of the blame” (Vanderkam). Laura Vanderkam says food stamp programs encourage binge shopping and encourage the purchase of junk food. About 3.8 million people rely on food stamps. That's one in eight Americans. The program has helped feed hungry bellies since 1964, and has grown tremendously, as has obesity. In the 1960s the obesity rate was 13%, today the rate has risen to 35% (Vanderkam). Food stamps support America's obesity problem. A scientist at Ohio State University, Jay Zagorsky, conducted a study and found that women who participated in the program were more likely to be obese than those who did not participate. Additionally, they gained weight faster while receiving assistance than when not receiving financial aid. Meal vouchers are distributed once a month. The benefits are loaded, electronically, onto cards which can then be used at retailers. Most people who use food stamps purchase at the beginning of the month and then save the rest for later use. Most families spend their benefits on that first shopping trip. Most of the time they find themselves without money and food towards the end of each month. So they have no choice but to be hungry and try to get food or money from local charities, such as Daily Bread or a local church. People who receive food stamps receive them once a month, and then spend them all at once, food stamps should be split and received once a week, this will encourage people who receive food stamps to buy... to half paper......food and uncontrolled shopping. He suggests that food stamps be distributed once a month, but people receiving the benefits would save them and shop once a month. Food vouchers should be distributed once a week, this way you almost force them to go shopping more regularly. Approximately thirty-eight million people rely on these food stamps, and the percentage of obese people has increased by 22% since the 1960s. Many of these people receiving benefits live in “food deserts.” Food deserts are defined as low-income neighborhoods that are more than a mile away from a supermarket. Food stamps and the way they are distributed push people to eat unhealthy, which then leads to obesity. Food vouchers should be split and distributed once a week, rather than once a month, to encourage them to shop more frequently.