The authors described the WIC Program: how it works, its history, program trends, and the characteristics of the population it serves. It also examines then-current issues facing WIC, focusing mainly on those with important economic implications.
The objective of this study was to assess the association between length of prenatal participation in the WIC Program and a marker of infant morbidity. The researchers found that the risks of delivering a small for gestational age, very preterm, or late preterm infant significantly decreased with WIC participation for a small dose response relationship.
This study analyzed the reasons for entry, exit, re-entry, and continuity of participation in the WIC Program. Most children entered the program as infants. Exit from the program was not linked to a particular age, and Medicaid-enrolled children were less likely to exit WIC early. Infants of the lowest-income families were more likely to continue participation as a child. These results could help inform clinic outreach strategies.
This study evaluated risk factors associated with anemia and iron deficiency in a sample of children participating in or applying for WIC. The results revealed that current child WIC participation and maternal WIC participation during pregnancy were negatively associated with anemia and iron deficiency.
This study used data from nine states that participate in the Pregnancy Nutrition Surveillance System to address limitations in previous work. Studying the effects of the WIC Program, results suggested that the WIC effect in improving infant health exists, but on fewer margins and with less impact than has been claimed by policy analysts and advocates.
The researchers examines the relationship between WIC and Food Stamp Program participation on young children's health and mistreatment outcomes. Their analysis used a unique individual-level longitudinal database that linked administrative datasets on WIC and Food Stamp Program participation, Medicaid enrollment and claims, and child abuse and neglect reports in Illinois. Based on the findings, receiving WIC benefits and Food Stamps, jointly or alone, was associated with less child abuse and neglect; was inversely related to the incidence of health problems among low-income children; and was associated with lower risk of being diagnosed with anemia, failure to thrive, and other nutritional deficiencies. For several outcome measures, stronger associations were found among study participants enrolled in WIC.
This study investigated the differences between children ages 1 to 5 in the Texas WIC Program who had improved anemia statuses and those who did not. Non-improvers were more likely to be those children who were younger, who lived in families with four or more children, who ate fewer snacks, and who never ate dried fruits. More parents of non-improvers incorrectly believed that their child had improved.
This report provided information on the new methodology developed by the National Research Council to estimate rates of eligibility and participation in the WIC Program. The new methodology provided more accurate estimates of the number of people eligible for WIC. The report estimated that 13.5 million individuals were eligible for WIC and that 7.7 million participated in WIC in 2003.
This brief summarized two recent ERS-sponsored studies that provided new assessments of nutrient intakes of WIC children, income-eligible children not participating in the WIC Program, and children ineligible for WIC.
The five summaries in the Nutrition and Health Characteristics of Low-Income Populations series highlighted key findings of the multi-volume Nutrition and Health Outcomes Study. The summaries examines the nutritional and health status of Food Stamp Program participants, WIC participants, school-age children, and older Americans.
