Some U.S. states want to ban food stamp recipients from buying soda and candy. Here's why.

The federal food stamp program is facing scrutiny in some states that want to block enrollees from using their government benefits to buy soda and candy.

Three Republican-led states — Arkansas, Idaho and Indiana — on Tuesday moved to ban purchases of soda and candy with benefits provided by the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Those states have a combined total of roughly 1 million residents on SNAP out of the program's total 41.7 million U.S. participants.

Other states are also likely to restrict SNAP recipients' food purchases, experts say. Lawmakers in states including Arizona, Kansas and Tennessee have introduced similar measures to curtail food stamp purchases of sugary foods and drinks.