Published: August 2025

ID #: 81359

Journal: Current Developments in Nutrition

Authors: Au LE, Arnold CD, Domfe C, Ritchie LD, Whaley SE, Bitler M, Frongillo EA

See more related research

Share


This study investigated whether demographic, social, and economic determinants of health, including length of time participating in safety net programs, are associated with diet quality and weight status in early childhood. Using the WIC infant and toddler feeding practices study-2, classification and regression tree identified the sequence of binary splits that best differentiated the sample on Healthy Eating Index-2020 and HEI-2020 subscales, and body mass index z-score at 2-5 y. Predictors, including maternal BMI, child birthweight, sociodemographics, and length of time spent on safety net programs, were considered. Higher HEI-2020 scores were primarily predicted by race and ethnicity (e.g., Hispanic, Spanish, or non-Hispanic White), and longer WIC and shorter Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program duration. In examining HEI-2020 subscales, higher HEI adequacy was primarily predicted by higher education, older maternal age, longer WIC duration, and race and ethnicity. Higher HEI moderation was primarily predicted by race and ethnicity and longer WIC duration. Higher BMI z-score was primarily predicted by higher birth weight. Child diet quality and weight status were associated with different social determinants of health, which included maternal weight status, race and ethnicity, and food assistance program participation, particularly WIC.

Related Research

November 2023

Determining whether length of participation in social safety-net programs is associated with diet quality and weight status for children 2 to 5

Medicaid, SNAP, and WIC provide low-income children access to vital medical and nutrition services for long-term health and well-being. Despite these benefits, few studies have investigated if these safety net programs, or the synergistic combination of all three programs, are associated with diet quality and weight status; and none have focused on examining these longitudinal More

September 2025

Food Insecurity-Related Stigma Among Adults in the United States: A Scoping Review

This review aimed to characterize individual- and structural-level stigma associated with government (ie, SNAP, WIC) and emergency food program (ie, food banks, pantries, cupboards, soup kitchens) utilization in the US. 5 databases (PubMed, PsychINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts) were searched in June 2024. The review included peer-reviewed articles (January 2004 – June 2024), More

August 2025

Resources to Improve Implementation of the Healthy Eating Research (HER) Nutrition Guidelines for the Charitable Food System

This guide contains training materials, resources, tips, and examples of practices to help food banks improve the implementation of Healthy Eating Research (HER) Nutrition Guidelines for the Charitable Food System. To create this guide, the research team interviewed people working in food banks across the country to learn how they approach ranking foods using the More