Oing something else, was zero minutes. We defined primary GS-9620 site eating and drinking as total time spent in activities 050202 (Eating and drinking as part of job, such as a business lunch), 110101 (Eating and drinking), 110199 (Eating and drinking not elsewhere classified), and 119999 (also Eating and drinking not elsewhere classified). Eating and/or drinking is selfreported by the respondent, and includes the activities of eating only, drinking only (which includes all beverages–coffee, tea, juice, soft drinks, alcohol), or eating and drinking together. Zero time spent in eating/drinking–no primary eating/drinking and no secondary eating– was considered no eating activity for the day. On any given day, about one percent of the U.S. population age 15 and over does not engage in primary eating/drinking activity or in secondary eating. There are a variety of reasons individuals may refrain from eating, including medical (illness or preparation for medical procedure), restriction of calories, being busy or stressed, or lack of resources to purchase food. To report no eating may be an indicator of household food need, especially in low-income households. The Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement asks respondents if adults or children did not “eat for a whole day because there was not enough money for food,” and responses to this question are used as an indicator of “very low food security.” The underlying Food Security Scale classifies this situation as an indicator of the most severe condition of food security [29,30]. The EHM variable on household SNAP participation was used to determine SNAP participants. Low-income non-SNAP individuals were identified using the EHM variables on income level. The EHM asked respondents if their household income in the past 30 days was above/ below a dollar amount that was equal to 185 percent of the poverty threshold for their household composition. If they answered “below,” they were asked if household income fell below the 130 percent threshold. Both of these thresholds are used by USDA food assistance programs to determine income eligibility. We used the more-inclusive 185 percent measure to identify individuals who might qualify for SNAP. However, we do not define this low-income group as SNAP-eligible given complications of categorical eligibility rules, discussed above, and other eligibility factors not associated with income. In addition to the EHM income variables, we use household income data from the CPS. Because all ATUS respondents were previously in a CPS panel, those data are available for use in our logistic regression. The advantage of using the ATUS and EHM data is that time diaries are considered a neutral method of collecting data on time spent in various activities. They are less subject to under- and overreporting including social desirability bias than surveys that ask for order GSK1363089 frequency of an activity or for estimates of time spent on specific activities [31,32]. In addition, the ATUS interviews respondents nearly every day of the year. Consequently, the ATUS provide the daily data needed to analyze days since benefits were received.PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0158422 July 13,6 /SNAP Benefit CycleSNAP Issuance DateSNAP benefits are issued by states and the District of Columbia using a debit card system known as Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. Only a small number of states issue benefits to all participants on the same day each month (usually the first of the mon.Oing something else, was zero minutes. We defined primary eating and drinking as total time spent in activities 050202 (Eating and drinking as part of job, such as a business lunch), 110101 (Eating and drinking), 110199 (Eating and drinking not elsewhere classified), and 119999 (also Eating and drinking not elsewhere classified). Eating and/or drinking is selfreported by the respondent, and includes the activities of eating only, drinking only (which includes all beverages–coffee, tea, juice, soft drinks, alcohol), or eating and drinking together. Zero time spent in eating/drinking–no primary eating/drinking and no secondary eating– was considered no eating activity for the day. On any given day, about one percent of the U.S. population age 15 and over does not engage in primary eating/drinking activity or in secondary eating. There are a variety of reasons individuals may refrain from eating, including medical (illness or preparation for medical procedure), restriction of calories, being busy or stressed, or lack of resources to purchase food. To report no eating may be an indicator of household food need, especially in low-income households. The Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement asks respondents if adults or children did not “eat for a whole day because there was not enough money for food,” and responses to this question are used as an indicator of “very low food security.” The underlying Food Security Scale classifies this situation as an indicator of the most severe condition of food security [29,30]. The EHM variable on household SNAP participation was used to determine SNAP participants. Low-income non-SNAP individuals were identified using the EHM variables on income level. The EHM asked respondents if their household income in the past 30 days was above/ below a dollar amount that was equal to 185 percent of the poverty threshold for their household composition. If they answered “below,” they were asked if household income fell below the 130 percent threshold. Both of these thresholds are used by USDA food assistance programs to determine income eligibility. We used the more-inclusive 185 percent measure to identify individuals who might qualify for SNAP. However, we do not define this low-income group as SNAP-eligible given complications of categorical eligibility rules, discussed above, and other eligibility factors not associated with income. In addition to the EHM income variables, we use household income data from the CPS. Because all ATUS respondents were previously in a CPS panel, those data are available for use in our logistic regression. The advantage of using the ATUS and EHM data is that time diaries are considered a neutral method of collecting data on time spent in various activities. They are less subject to under- and overreporting including social desirability bias than surveys that ask for frequency of an activity or for estimates of time spent on specific activities [31,32]. In addition, the ATUS interviews respondents nearly every day of the year. Consequently, the ATUS provide the daily data needed to analyze days since benefits were received.PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0158422 July 13,6 /SNAP Benefit CycleSNAP Issuance DateSNAP benefits are issued by states and the District of Columbia using a debit card system known as Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. Only a small number of states issue benefits to all participants on the same day each month (usually the first of the mon.