title: Revised WIC food package improves diets of WIC families.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the impact of the new Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food package on WIC participant consumption of fruit, vegetables, whole-grain food, and lower-fat milk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Telephone surveys of cross-sectional samples of California WIC families before and after the changes to the food package.
  
  
  METHODS
  Random samples of pregnant or postpartum women and/or caregivers of children enrolled in WIC: 3,004 in September, 2009; 2,996 in March, 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consumption of fruit, vegetables, whole-grain food, and lower-fat milk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparisons of outcome variables were made by examining the differences by time point, adjusted for sociodemographic variables, using ANOVA (for means) or logistic regression (for percentages).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following the changes to the WIC food package, consumption of whole-grain food increased by 17.3 percentage points, a 51% increase over baseline. Caregivers and children who usually consumed whole milk decreased by 15.7 and 19.7 percentage points, respectively, a 60%-63% reduction over baseline. Accompanying increases in lower-fat milk consumption were demonstrated. Small but significant increases in consumption of fruits and vegetables were also observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Federal policy changes to the WIC program had the intended effect of increasing consumption of the prescribed food items.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Foundation Enterprises WIC Program, Irwindale, CA 91706, USA. Shannon@phfewic.org
authors.forename: Shannon E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Whaley
authors.forename: Lorrene D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Ritchie
authors.forename: Phil
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Spector
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gomez
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009313:National Health Programs; D011247:Pregnancy; D011632:Public Assistance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States