Feeding Practices of Infants and Toddlers in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) in San Marcos, Texas

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare feeding practices of infants and toddlers enrolled in San Marcos, TX, WIC to practices reported in the national Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS). Following Institutional Review Board guidelines, researchers recruited caregivers ($10 gift card incentive) of a child aged 4 to 28 months, and during a phone interview used Nutrition Data System for Research software to collect a 24‐hour recall and ask about health history and feeding practices (e.g. time of food introduction). Data from 62 infants and toddlers (75% Hispanic, 20% Non‐Hispanic White, 5% other) were segmented into 3 age groups (4–5, 6–11, and 12–24 months). 16.7% of 6–11‐month‐old infants consumed salty snacks (e.g. cheese puffs and chips) compared to 2–6% of infants in FITS. 50% of toddlers consumed sugar‐sweetened beverages compared to 28–44% of toddlers in FITS. The most commonly eaten meat for FITS toddlers was poultry, but 40% of SM toddlers ate one or more processed meats (e.g. hot dogs and cold cuts) and 25% ate fried chicken. Consuming foods and beverages high in sugar, sodium and saturated fat during the first 2 years of life may have a lasting influence on food preferences and increase lifetime risk for obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Further research should measure the efficacy of interventions to modify feeding practices to include fewer processed foods and more whole, nutrient dense foods.