WIC Research, Policy and Practice Hub WIC Research, Policy and Practice Hub

Urban


Special Supplemental Nutrition Program For Women Infants, and Children (WIC) Eligibles and Coverage-2000 to 2009: National and State-Level Estimates of the Population of Women, Infants and Children Eligibles for WIC Benefits

This report analyzed WIC eligibility. In 2009, a total of 15.075 million mothers and young children were eligible to enroll in WIC, a 6.4% increase in eligibility from 2008. Among children, WIC eligibility increased by 9.4% between 2008 and 2009. The weaker economy in 2009 increased the numbers of families with incomes below 185% of the federal poverty level. The majority of WIC-eligible infants and children lived in two‐parent families and in families with incomes below the federal poverty levels.


WIC Program Coverage: How Many Eligible Individuals Participated in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): 1994 to 2003?

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.


Limited Supermarket Availability Is Not Associated With Obesity Risk Among Participants in the Kansas WIC Program

The researchers examines the availability of food stores for low-income women in Kansas and investigated whether food store availability was associated with obesity, using data from women participating in the WIC Program in Kansas. Most WIC recipients lived within 1 mile of a small grocery store, and there was an association of density of any type of food store with obesity in micropolitan areas.


Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Participation and Infants’ Growth and Health: A Multisite Surveillance Study

The researchers examines associations between WIC participation and indicators of underweight, overweight, length, caregiver-perceived health, and household food security among infants ages 12 months or younger, at six urban hospitals and clinics. Results showed that of the eligible families not receiving WIC assistance, 64% reported access problems, and 36% denied a need for WIC. Families who were not receiving WIC because of access problems were more likely to have underweight infants and experience food insecurity.


Food Insecurity is Associated with Adverse Health Outcomes Among Human Infants and Toddlers

The purpose of this study was to determine whether household food insecurity was associated with adverse health outcomes in a sentinel population ages 36 months or younger. The study showed that compared with food-secure children, food-insecure children's odds of fair or poor; health were nearly twice as high, and their odds of being hospitalized since birth were almost a third higher. Effect modification occurred between Food Stamps and food insecurity; Food Stamps attenuated, but did not eliminate, associations between food insecurity and fair/poor health.