The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) required major revisions to food packages in 2009. This study examines associations between WIC revisions and nutritional profiles of packaged food purchases from 2008 to 2014 among 4,537 low-income households with preschoolers in the U.S. using Nielsen Homescan Consumer Panel data. Among WIC households, significant decreases in purchases of calories (−11%), sodium (−12%), total fat (−10%), and sugar (−15%) occurred, alongside decreases in purchases of refined grains, grain-based desserts, higher-fat milks, and sugar-sweetened beverages, and increases in purchases of fruits/vegetables with no added sugar/fats/salt. Income-eligible nonparticipating households had similar, but less pronounced, reductions. Overall, WIC food package revisions may encourage WIC families to make healthier choices among their overall packaged food purchases.
Federal Nutrition Program Revisions Impact Low-income Households’ Food Purchases
Published: March 2018
ID #: 73247
Journal: Am J Prev Med
Authors: Ng SW, Hollingsworth BA, Busey EA, Wandell JL, Miles DR, Poti JM
Race/Ethnicity: African American or Black, Latino(a) or Hispanic, White
Age Groups: Pregnant women, infants and toddlers (ages 0 to 2), Preschool-age children (ages 3 to 5), Adults and Families
State: National
Focus Area: Nutrition & Agriculture Policy and Programs
Resource Type: Journal Article
Keywords: Nutrition standards, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Related Research
December 2015
Studying the Nutritional Profile of Packaged Food Purchases under the Revised Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
This will be the first systematic study to quantify on a national scale how the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food package changes, which were made in 2009 and finalized in 2014, relate to packaged food purchases (PFP) before and after these changes were … More
April 2020
The Impact of Increasing SNAP Benefits on Stabilizing the Economy, Reducing Poverty and Food Insecurity amid COVID-19 Pandemic
With unemployment currently at a record high as a result of COVID-19, participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is expected to increase significantly. Congress has already passed three COVID-19 aid bills, which include SNAP provisions such as funding for emergency benefits for SNAP households and program administrative flexibilities. … More
April 2020
Prioritizing Health in State ESSA Plans and Report Cards to Support the Whole Child
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law on December 10, 2015, reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. ESSA created an opportunity to broaden accountability beyond traditional subjects, such as math, to potentially focus on health and wellness in schools. States could select health and … More