Hawaii Appleseed, the Hawaii Public Health Institute and the Hawaii Children’s Action Network are speaking out against new restrictions on what families can purchase with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, also known as SNAP.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the changes under the Make America Healthy Again initiative, which limits purchases of sugary products, including soft drinks.

The groups say the rules will raise costs, reduce choices and create extra work for retailers and state administrators without improving health outcomes.

The groups acknowledge that sugary products play a clear role in many preventable health conditions, but they argue the real barrier to healthy eating is affordability.

According to the groups, targeting only those who receive SNAP benefits is “an attack on their dignity and autonomy, and diverts attention from more comprehensive, evidence-based public health solutions.”