FNS Research Update

Research Update

New USDA report finds that consistent 4-year participation in WIC is associated with better diet quality among low-income children  

A new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture finds that consistent 4-year participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is associated with a higher quality diet among 4-year-old children. The finding, which was published today in the WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study-2 (WIC ITFPS-2): Fourth Year Report, highlights the WIC Program’s role in helping low-income children achieve a more healthful diet.  

Since 1974, the WIC Program has safeguarded the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating, and referrals to health care.  

To better understand WIC’s impact on children’s health and nutritional status, USDA funded the WIC ITFPS-2, also known as the “Feeding My Baby” Study, in 2011. WIC ITFPS-2 is the only national study to examine child-feeding practices, associations between WIC services and those practices, and the health and nutrition outcomes of children who received WIC around birth. This longitudinal study captures data on caregivers and their children across children’s first 6 years of life, and the report published today focuses on findings from children’s fourth year of life.  

Among the many highlights from the Fourth Year Report, the study finds that caregivers who participate in WIC until their child is 4 years old truly value the education and support they receive through the program. In fact, the top reported reasons for continued participation are the education received from WIC (94 percent), the WIC food package (93 percent), and the perception that WIC personnel listen when participants talk about their child’s health (91 percent). 

Findings from this new report also demonstrate how WIC nutrition education improves families’ eating behaviors. According to the study, seven out of ten study participants report changing the way they eat or the way they feed their family because of something that they learned at WIC. Among the healthy changes being made, the most commonly reported changes include choosing healthier, more nutrient-dense foods or eating a more balanced diet (39 percent), and eating more fruits and/or vegetables (27 percent). 

The full Fourth Year Report, along with a brief summary of the study’s findings, is available online at: www.fns.usda.gov/wic/infant-and-toddler-feeding-practices-study-2-fourth-year-report.