The 18-month impact of special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children food package revisions on diets of recipient families.

Background: Beginning in 2009, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) revised its food packages and provided more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables and fewer foods with high saturated fat content. However, knowledge of the impact of this policy shift on the diets of WIC participants remains limited.

Purpose: To examine the longer-term impact of the 2009 WIC food package change on nutrient and food group intake and overall diet quality among African American and Hispanic WIC child participants and their mothers/caregivers.

Evaluating the initial impact of the revised Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food packages on dietary intake and home food availability in African-American and Hispanic families.

Objective: The present study assessed the impact of the 2009 food packages mandated by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) on dietary intake and home food availability in low-income African-American and Hispanic parent/child dyads.

Design: A natural experiment was conducted to assess if the revised WIC food package altered dietary intake, home food availability, weight and various lifestyle measures immediately (6 months) following policy implementation.

Setting: Twelve WIC clinics in Chicago, IL, USA.

Racial/ethnic differences in dietary intake among WIC families prior to food package revisions.

Objective: To compare the diets of African American and Hispanic families in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) prior to the 2009 food package revisions.

Methods: Mother-child dyads were recruited from 12 WIC sites in Chicago, IL. Individuals with 1 valid 24-hour recall were included in the analyses (n = 331 children, n = 352 mothers).