We present infant feeding data before and after the 2009 Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food package change that supported and incentivized breastfeeding. We describe the key role of California WIC staff in supporting these policy changes.
We report preliminary data on mothers' perceptions of their own and their children's weight status from a study of overweight (BMI > 95th percentile) vs normal weight (BMI 25–75th percentile) children aged 3–5 yrs who are participants in the WIC program in Los Angeles, CA. Height and weight were measured for both child and mother. In a telephone interview, the mother was asked her perception of her own and the child's weight status (overweight, normal weight, or thin). Two-thirds of mothers of overweight children were obese themselves (BMI ≥ 30) and 21% were overweight. Among mothers of normal weight children, 37% were obese and 35.6% overweight. Mothers tended to underestimate their own weight status; 39% of obese mothers reported themselves “normal” and 6.3% as thin. Among mothers with BMI's in the overweight range, 70.5% reported themselves “normal” and 2.3% as “thin”. Among mothers with BMI <25, 28% rated themselves underweight. Mothers also significantly under-estimated their child's weight status. Mothers rated two-thirds (67.8%) of overweight children as of normal weight; mothers of normal weight children rated 26.4% of their children as thin. In spite of widespread public attention to problems of overweight, parents may fail to recognize overweight in themselves and their children, and may perceive that individuals of healthy body weight are too thin. Supported by USDA/CSREES #2005-35215-16075.
This article describes the impact of a bilingual literacy intervention conducted with nearly 118,000 children in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) sites in Los Angeles County, California.All WIC participants at 6 WIC sites in Los Angeles County participated in the literacy intervention. Three cohorts of participants were selected to participate in the evaluation of the intervention. A control group of 200 families received no intervention, 103 families received 2 years of intervention, and 102 families received 4 years of intervention. Participants were predominantly Hispanic (92%), 3- to 4-year-old children and their parents. All families had low income levels, and more than one-half were Spanish-speaking. School readiness assessments were conducted with the children; parent literacy resources and activities at home were observed. Structural equation modeling was used to allow for simultaneous testing of relationships between variables.The Spanish-speaking subset showed a strong intervention effect. Among Spanish speakers, the 4-year intervention group (P < .001) and the 2-year intervention group (P < .05) had significantly higher school readiness scores, compared with the control group. The structural equation model revealed that exposure to the intervention significantly enhanced literacy resources and activities at home, which in turn led to greater school readiness.WIC-based literacy intervention significantly increased low-income, Spanish-speaking children's school readiness.
We investigated the association between the local food environment and obesity/overweight risk among 3‐ to 4‐year‐old children who were participants in the WIC program in Los Angeles County. We used geographical information system software to compute the retail food environment index (RFEI) per ZIP code. We conducted exploratory analysis to check for spatial autocorrelation. We then used multivariate spatial statistical techniques to control for spatial autocorrelation. Fast‐food restaurants represent 30% and convenience stores total 40% of the sum of food outlets in areas where WIC participants reside. We found a statistically significant positive association between RFEI and obesity/overweight despite controlling for spatial autocorrelation, birth weight, poverty level, race/ethnicity, formula feeding, maternal education and variables relating to the pregnancy resulting in the child's birth including maternal diabetes, gestational diabetes, closely spaced pregnancies, and mutlifetal pregnancies. This study provides evidence for the existence of an obesogenic environment for children in low‐income households and a significant role for convenience stores in the neighborhood environment. Supported by USDA/CSREES#2005‐35215‐16075 and First 5 LA. Grant Funding Source : USDA and First 5 LA
Increasing prevalence of overweight in young children is a significant public health problem. This study examines whether the total family time participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) plays a role in risk for early childhood overweight. We conducted a case‐control study with 555 WIC participant children ages 3–5 years who were either overweight (BMI >95 th percentile of reference standard) or normal weight (BMI 25–75 th percentile). The study population had a large Hispanic majority (95%), a group that has the highest rates of overweight young children in the US. Total cumulative history of WIC program participation for the entire family, expressed as person‐years and adjusted for reported breaks in participation, had a median of 12.6 person‐years and did not differ between overweight and normal‐weight children. In multivariate analyses only mother's BMI and child height were significant predictors of child overweight. Number of hours of television watching and number of hours of sleep at night showed slight but non‐significant relationships to overweight risk. There was no indication that cumulative family history of WIC participation influences risk of early childhood overweight. Supported by USDA/CSREES #2005‐35215‐16075.
Objectives. We present infant feeding data before and after the 2009 Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food package change that supported and incentivized breastfeeding. We describe the key role of California WIC staff in supporting these policy changes. Methods. We analyzed WIC data on more than 180 000 infants in Southern California. We employed the analysis of variance and Tukey (honestly significant difference) tests to compare issuance rates of postpartum and infant food packages before and after the changes. We used analysis of covariance to adjust for poverty status changes as a potential confounder. Results. Issuance rates of the “fully breastfeeding” package at infant WIC enrollment increased by 86% with the package changes. Rates also increased significantly for 2- and 6-month-old infants. Issuance rates of packages that included formula decreased significantly. All outcomes remained highly significant in the adjusted model. Conclusions. Policy changes, training of front-line WIC staff, and participant education influenced issuance rates of WIC food packages. In California, the issuance rates of packages that include formula have significantly decreased and the rate for those that include no formula has significantly increased. (Am J Public Health. 2012;102:2269‐2273. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2012.300770)
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