UNASSIGNED: @entity28 remains a significant public health concern. @entity1 from lower income households have a greater risk of being @entity28 . Low-income families generally have less access to healthy, affordable food choices and turn to federal food assistance programs. Few studies have examined the impact of food assistance programs on childhood @entity28 rates. This study explored the association between BMI, blood lipid levels, and three food assistance programs (WIC, reduced lunch, and food stamps) in a sample of predominantly low-income, minority preschool @entity1 enrolled in a city-wide preschool program. Screenings were performed at on-site health fairs conducted at nine schools in disadvantaged areas. Screenings included vital signs, a finger stick, head-to-toe exam, vision screening, dental screening, and hearing screening. Of the sample of 229 preschool @entity1 , 23.1  % were @entity28 , almost three times the national rate in preschoolers. @entity1 whose families received WIC benefits weighed significantly less than those who did not  receive benefits. In addition, 20.6  % of the @entity1 screened had elevated systolic blood pressures. Of the sample, 33  % had unhealthy @entity412 levels and 46  % had unhealthy HDL levels with those that received WIC benefits having significantly lower levels of LDL @entity165 This study confirms that low-income, minority @entity1 in the South continue to be disproportionately affected by overweight and @entity28 . In addition, the results of this study indicate WIC as a potential public health initiative to combat the @entity28 and reduce other cardiovascular risk factors, such as blood lipids and blood pressure.

Federal Food Assistance Programs and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Low-Income Preschool XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['children', 'Children'] @entity165 :: ('MESH:D002784', 'Chemical') :: ['cholesterol'] @entity412 :: ('CHEBI:17855', 'Chemical') :: ['triglyceride'] @entity28 :: ('MESH:D009765', 'Disease') :: ['Childhood obesity', 'childhood obesity epidemic', 'obese', 'obesity']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['Children']
