The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides supplemental foods and nutrition education to pregnant and postpartum women and children up to age 5, all of whom are at nutrition risk. According to new research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, “Duration of Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Participation Is Associated With Children’s Diet Quality at Age 3 Years,” children with longer tenure in WIC have healthier diets. Westat staff among the coauthors include Christine Borger, Ph.D., and Brenda Sun, M.S.
The data used for analysis were collected by Westat as part of the WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study-2 (WIC ITFPS-2), a longitudinal study of caregiver feeding practices and children’s nutritional intakes from around birth through age 9. Families do not have to continue with WIC to continue in the study.
“The findings support WIC’s efforts and reinforce social support for continued WIC participation,” says Dr. Borger, the lead author of the study.
