The federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children—commonly known as WIC—safeguards the health of pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and young children from low-income households who are at nutritional risk. The WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study, also known as the "Feeding My Baby Study," is the only national study to capture data on caregivers and their children over the first nine years of the child's life after enrollment in WIC, regardless of their continued participation in the program. The WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study-2: Sixth Year Report is the seventh in a series generated from this study. It focuses on children's dietary intake patterns, eating behaviors, and weight status during the child's 6th year, after WIC eligibility has ended. The report also explores whether patterns of WIC participation in early childhood are associated with dietary behaviors and nutrient intakes after WIC eligibility ends. Key findings from the report include:
- Consistent 5-year participation in WIC is associated with better overall diet quality at age 6 compared to participation during only the first year of life.
- Longer participation in WIC is associated with lower saturated fat intake at age 6.
- At age 6, study children consumed recommended amounts of macronutrients but had inadequate intake of certain micronutrients, including vitamin E, calcium, and vitamin D.
- Usual intake of fruits, vegetables, dairy, protein foods, and grains among study participants was consistent with that of a national sample but lower than recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The report was published by the US Department of Agriculture and includes Nutrition Policy Institute's Lorrene Ritchie as a co-author. Read a summary of the report online.
- Author: Maira Enriquez
- Editor: Emily Harris
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Parents, you are the role model. Kids tend to have a sweet tooth if you introduce them to sugary food and drinks at an early age. And children do not need to be rewarded with sweet treats, but instead can be rewarded with quality time, positive reinforcement and love. Together we can help our kids understand the benefits of fruits and vegetables, like the essential vitamins and minerals we receive from them. So how can we help our children swap the sweets? Check out the tips below:
Tip #1: Replace a candy dish with a fruit bowl.
Tip #2: Store especially tempting foods, like cookies, chips, or ice cream out of immediate eyesight, like on a high shelf or at the back of the freezer. Move the healthy food to the front at eye-level.
Tip #3: Try adding fresh or frozen fruit to ice cold water to replace sugary beverages during the heat of the summer.
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Small changes go a long way! Let us know how these tips have helped you this summer in the comments below.
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