WIC Nutrition Research Articles

Factors Related to Frequency of Fruits and Vegetables Served to Children and Consumed by Mothers in Low‐Income Households

A survey of low‐income mothers of children enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) was conducted to identify barriers and other factors influencing the frequency of fruits and vegetables served to children and consumed by the mother. Barriers related to adults not liking a wide variety of fruits or vegetables and adults' lack of interest in trying new fruits or vegetables significantly related to mothers serving and consuming fruits and vegetables less frequently. Cost and convenience barriers related more negatively to mothers' own intakes than to what they served to children. Fruit and vegetable intakes were lower among mothers reporting indicators of household food insecurity. Recommendations for WIC nutrition education are discussed.

A Training Make-Over for WIC Nutrition Paraprofessionals in Massachusetts

The Massachusetts WIC Program has implemented a new, interactive training program for nutrition paraprofessionals. The Massachusetts’ Nutrition Assistant CPAI Training Program is a competency-based program to assure that all new Nutrition Assistants learn necessary skills to fulfill job responsibilities of providing nutrition services to low-risk children. The program is conducted over an 11–14 week period. It includes seven (7) all-day training sessions, incorporating didactic and interactive activities - demonstrations, role-plays, observations, computer practice, case studies, group problem-solving and posttests. Training topics include: basic nutrition, anthropometric, hematological and dietary assessment, preschool nutrition, effective counseling and education, cross-cultural counseling, and many others. Between training days, Nutrition Assistants engage in independent study of training modules and assigned homework activities. In addition, they practice and apply learned knowledge and skills. This program has proven to be highly effective in training paraprofessional staff. Over 30 nutrition paraprofessionals have graduated from this program in the last 18 months. Graduates achieved a higher nutrition and counseling knowledge and skill level in significantly shorter time than staff participating in previous training programs. This session will feature this model training program including: training outlines, samples of modules, practical activities and worksheets, and evaluation tools for determining competency of performance and knowledge skills.

Household Participation in the Food Stamp and WIC Programs Increases the Nutrient Intakes of Preschool Children

We examined the effects of household participation in the Food Stamp and WIC Nutrition Programs on the nutrient intakes of preschoolers using data from the 1989–1991 Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals. Nonbreastfeeding children, 1–4 y of age, with 3 d of dietary data and whose households had incomes < 130% of the poverty level were included in the study sample (n = 499). Nutrient adequacy ratios for each of 15 nutrients were the dependent variables in multiple regression models that controlled for the following: age, sex and ethnicity of the individual; income, size and location of the household; schooling of the household head; home ownership; school lunch and breakfast participation; and season in which the interview was conducted. WIC benefits positively influenced (P < 0.05) the intakes of 10 nutrients. For iron and zinc, the average increase due to WIC represented 16.6 and 10.6%, respectively, of the preschooler recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for these nutrients. The same analyses of the Food Stamp Program revealed increases in five nutrients. For iron and zinc, the average increase due to Food Stamps represented 12.3 and 9.2%, respectively, of the preschooler RDA. The effects of the WIC Program on the intakes of iron and zinc were greater than that of cash income, and neither program affected the intakes of fat, saturated fat or cholesterol.

Integration of Primary Care and WIC: Models that Work

LEARNING OUTCOME: To discuss a variety of nutrition service models of WIC and Primary Care/MCH collaborations and the tools and methods used to enhanced service delivery. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Primary Care and WIC Programs have implemented a variety of statewide activities to enhance WIC and Primary care nutrition services. The purpose of these activities are to improve and streamline patient access to WIC/MCH nutrition services, to prevent duplication of service, and to enhance the quality of nutrition services to patients. A total of thirty eight (38) Primary Care and thirty seven (37) WIC programs were surveyed to identify barriers and strengths of current collaboration efforts. Results indicated that improved patient access to community based nutrition services and professional collaboration between nutritionists were important factors that enhanced services. Barriers to effective collaboration primarily focused on the amount of time required for nutritionists to communicate on patient issues and complete program-specific forms. An Ad Hoc Committee of nutritionists from WIC and Primary Care/MCH was formed to enhance collaborative activities and respond to barriers. The Committee has identified service delivery models and developed nutrition assessment forms for use by both WIC and Primary Care nutritionists. Additional activities have included: Jointly sponsored trainings, development of resource lists of current educational materials, and implementation of a focus group to solicit time study information on activities of community-based nutritionists. Presentation and discussion of the survey results, assessment forms, service models and guidelines will be presented.

Reaching Limited Income Mothers with Smart Shoppers Tours

LEARNING OUTCOME: Consortium, Dallas TX To describe facilitators and barriers to low income mothers attending supermarket nutrition toursA series of three supermarket nutrition tours for mothers receiving federally funded food assistance in southeast Dallas was piloted in the spring of 1995 and implemented in 1995-1996. A key question was “Will the target audience come to the supermarket for scheduled tours?” Marketing strategies used were: focus groups, limited incentives, and distribution of tickets at the WIC Clinic, Food Stamp office, and community locations. From October, 1>95 to March, 19%, 370 numbered tickets were issued. The numbers offered the tour, taking a ticket and attending the tours were tracked. Attending (A) and non-attending (NA) ticket takers were linked to written survey data gathered at ticket issuance. The survey included demographic information, nutrition knowledge, attitudes and shopping habits. Among WIC participants, 32% of those approached accepted a ticket. Approximately one third of these amended at least one tour. (One in nine WIC participants will attend at least one tour after one invitation.) At the Food Stamp office, one in five took a ticket and one in ten of those attended a tour. The attendance rate was highest for intact groups, such as a diabetes class. A barrier to ticket taking the daytime tour schedule. Barriers to tour attendance included illness, weather and transportation. Facilitators included: an optional means of participating in WIC nutrition education, a social opportunity with a friend, incentives and use of peer workers. Statistical analysis revealed no major difference between A and NA. Supermarket nutrition tours can reach a portion of mothers with limited income, largely through marketing in existing programs and allowing the tour to substitute for another required activity.(The project was funded, in put, through Cooperative Agreement Number 58-3190-4449 with the Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture [FCS, USDA]. The opulent or conclusion expressed herein do not, however, necessarily reflect those of the FNS, USDA).

Summary of WIC Nutrition Risk Criteria: A Scientific Assessment

In 1993, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to conduct a critical review of the scientific basis for nutrition risk criteria used by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), formulate recommendations for criteria (nutrition risk indicators and their cutoff values), and identify critical areas for future research. An IOM committee addressed these challenging tasks in WIC Nutrition Risk Criteria: A Scientific Assessment (1), which is excerpted in this article.

Half-pint playhouse: A training tool for WIC paraprofessionals

WIC nutrition educators are frequently asked how to handle preschoolers' eating problems. So as a public health nutritionist supervising a county WIC program, I wanted to develop an interesting and memorable training session on that topic. Inspired by Shakespeare's well-known metaphor All the world is a and Joan Rivers' comment .. . and mothers are the stagehands, I developed the Half-Pint Playhouse. This easy-to-replicate resource consists of a stage (made from a cardboard box) and cardboardbacked paper dolls (taped to wires). The stage (see Figure A) can be constructed from a large cardboard box (26 X 16 X 9) in the following manner: First, open the bottom flaps of the box, cut off the smaller side flaps, fold the top flap up (this becomes the marquee above the stage), and anchor it with small wires. Then fold the bottom flap out so it becomes an extension of the stage floor. (The stage may be completely closed for travel.) Next, cut a longitudinal slit (12 X 21h) in the long side ofthe top of the box (which has become the roof of the stage) . This slit is used to lower the dolls onto the stage. Spray-paint the inside and outside of the box brown, and wire a small rod to the inside ofthe box to serve as a curtain rod. The curtains open manually from the center. To make the paper dolls more durable, glue them to cardboard backing, and then tape each one to a strong wire slightly longer than the distance between the roof and the floor of the stage. At the top of the wire, tape a rectangular piece

A self-care approach to WIC nutrition education

A self-care approach to WIC nutrition education

The cultural appropriateness of the WIC Program in Cherokee, North Carolina

The data presented in this article illustrate the WIC program's ability to function within the Cherokee Indian culture. The respondents reported that WIC foods are accepted and widely distributed in the Cherokee WIC participant households. In addition, they stated that infant and child feeding practices are affected by the information they receive from advice givers. These factors in combination with the Cherokees' positive attitude toward the WIC program make for effective implementation of the national WIC nutrition goal: to maximize the WIC food package's effect on nutritional status considering all ethnic, cultural, and geographic preferences.