Longer WIC Participation is Associated with Higher Quality Diet at 5 years of Age
A recent study by PHFE WIC’s research team and colleagues at UC Oakland found that longer WIC participation is associated with lower household food insecurity and higher diet quality.
This study compared children who participated in the WIC program for 1 to 4 years. They assessed diet quality, household food insecurity, and obesity at the end of WIC eligibility at 60 months.
The results showed that children who participated in the WIC program for the entire five years had a 31% lower chance of food insecurity than those who participated for shorter periods. In addition, children who participated for the full five years were also associated with higher overall diet quality.
These findings suggest that the WIC program promotes healthier lifelong habits and provides food stability to low-income families.
Read the full study published in The Journal of Nutrition.
