title: The new food package and breastfeeding outcomes among women, infants, and children participants in Los Angeles County.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We assessed the effect of the new Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food package, implemented in October 2009, on breastfeeding outcomes among a predominately Latina sample of WIC participants in Los Angeles County, California.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from 5020 WIC participants who were interviewed in a series of repeated cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2005, 2008, and 2011. Participants were randomly selected from Los Angeles County residents who received WIC services during those years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consistent with the WIC population in Los Angeles, participants were mostly Latina and had low levels of income and education; more than half were foreign-born. We found small but significant increases from pre- to postimplementation of the new WIC food package in prevalence of prenatal intention to breastfeed and breastfeeding initiation, but no changes in any breastfeeding at 3 and 6 months. The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding at 3 and 6 months roughly doubled, an increase that remained large and significant after adjustment for other factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new food package can improve breastfeeding outcomes in a population at high risk for negative breastfeeding outcomes.
authors.affiliation: At the time of the study, Brent A. Langellier and M. Pia Chaparro were with and May C. Wang is with the Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles. At the time of the study, Maria Koleilat was with and Shannon E. Whaley is with Public Health Foundation Enterprises, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Program, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Brent A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Langellier
authors.forename: M Pia
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Chaparro
authors.forename: May C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koleilat
authors.forename: Shannon E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Whaley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D063105:Food Assistance / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires