WIC Research/Health Outcomes
WIC improves the health of nutritionally at-risk women, infants and children. The WIC
Program has earned the reputation of being one of the most successful federally-funded
nutrition programs in the United States. Studies conducted by the USDA Food and Nutrition
Service as well as non-government entities detail the success and cost-effectiveness of thenutrition intervention:
Healthier babies who are more likely to survive infancy 2,3,4,5,6,8,9
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Fewer premature births and infant deaths
Reduced rates of low birth weight and very low birth weight
A greater likelihood of receiving prenatal care
Savings in health care costs

Improved diet and diet-related outcomes 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10WIC increases infants’ and children’s intake of essential vitamins and minerals,
especially iron.
WIC reduces anemia among children and improves children’s general health status.
WIC participation is associated with improved diets, including increased iron density,
fewer added sugars and a greater variety of foods.
After revisions to WIC food packages in 2009, WIC participants buy and eat morefruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. This change enhanced
access to healthier foods for all consumers in low-income areas, regardless ofwhether they participate in WIC.

Improved infant feeding practices 1,5,8,9,11
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WIC promotes breastfeeding as the optimal method of infant feeding, consistent withthe goals and objectives of Healthy People 2020 and the policy statement from theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics.
More than 95 percent of WIC mothers who initiated breastfeeding reported that theirWIC clinic played an important role in their decision to breastfeed. Sixty-one percent
of WIC mothers identified the food package as an important factor in their decision
to continue to breastfeed longer.
At least half of WIC caregivers report that they turn to WIC for advice if they havebreastfeeding problems and for other information on feeding their infant.
WIC infants are less likely to be fed solids or cow’s milk earlier than recommended
by the American Academy of Pediatrics, potentially preventing digestive problems,
nutrient deficiencies and overweight.

Improved rates of childhood immunizations and regular source of medical care
3,4,5,8,9

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WIC participation increases the likelihood of children having up-to-date
immunizations.
Infants and children who participate in WIC are linked to the health care system andare much more likely to receive both preventive and curative care.

Improved cognitive development 3,9Prenatal and early childhood participation in WIC is associated with improved
cognitive development and academic achievement.
Children whose mothers participated in WIC while pregnant scored higher in mental
development at age 2 and performed better in school than similar children whose
mothers did not participate.

Summary

WIC reduces low birth weight, prematurity, and infant death.
WIC plays an important role in a mother’s decision to initiate and continue
breastfeeding.
WIC improves infant feeding practices and the quality of children’s diet.
WIC decreases the incidence of iron deficiency anemia.
WIC participants are more likely to receive health care.
Children who receive WIC demonstrate improved intellectual development.

References
1.

American Academy of Pediatrics. Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk. Breastfeeding Policy
Statement. J Pediatrics. 2012 March; Vol. 129 No. 3.
2. Bitler MP, Currie J. Does WIC work? The effects of WIC on pregnancy and birth outcomes. RAND
Corporation, J Policy Anal Manage. Winter, 24(1), 2005.
3. Black, Maureen M., et. al., Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
Participation and Infants’ Growth and Health: A Multisite Surveillance Study. J Pediatrics. 2004 July; Vol.
114 No. 1.
4. Fox, Mary Kay, William Hamilton, and Biing-Hwan Lin. Effects of Food Assistance and Nutrition Programson Nutrition and Health: Volume 4, Executive Summary of the Literature Review. U.S. Dept. ofAgriculture. Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Report No. (FANRR19-4), December 2004.
5. Oliveira, Victor, Elizabeth Racine, Jennifer Olmstead, and Linda M. Ghelfi. The WIC Program: Background,Trends, and Issues. US Dept. of Agriculture, Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Report No.
(FANRR27), October 2002.
6. Owen Anita L., George M. Owen. Twenty years of WIC: a review of some effects of the program. Journalof the American Dietetic Association, Volume 97, Issue 7, July 1997.
7. Siega-Riz AM, Kranz S, Blanchette D, Haines PS, Guilkey DK, Popkin BM. The effect of participation in theWIC program on preschoolers’ diets. J Pediatrics. 2004 Feb; 144(2):229-34.
8. United States Department of Agriculture. Effects of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program forWomen, Infants, and Children (WIC): A Review of Recent Research. January 2012.
9. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: WIC Works: Addressing the Nutrition and Health Needs of Low
Income Families for 40 Years. May 2015.
10. Tatiana Andreyeva, PhD, Amanda S. Tripp, PhD. The healthfulness of food and beverage purchases after
the federal food package revisions: The case of two New England states. Preventive Medicine, Volume 91,October 2016.
11. United States Department of Agriculture. WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study 2: Infant Year
Report. January 2017.