title: The influence of the WIC food package changes on the retail food environment in New Orleans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effect of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food package changes on availability of healthy foods in small stores.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pre-post comparison group design with repeat in-store observations.
  
  
  METHODS
  New Orleans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Small stores (n = 102; 77% of total) were visited in 2009. Of these, 91% were observed again in 2010, including both WIC (n = 27) and non-WIC (n = 66) stores.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 2009 WIC food package changes to include healthier foods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Change in store availability of fruits, vegetables, lower-fat milks, whole wheat bread, and brown rice. Change in number of varieties and shelf length of fruits and vegetables.
  
  
  METHODS
  Difference-in-differences analysis using logit models for change in availability and regression models for change in number of varieties or shelf length.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The WIC stores were more likely to improve availability of lower-fat milks than non-WIC stores (adjusted odds ratio, 5.0, 95% confidence interval, 1.2-21.0). An even greater relative improvement was seen with whole grains. The WIC stores showed a relative increase in number of varieties of fresh fruits (0.9 ± 0.3; P < .01) and shelf length of vegetables (1.2 ± 0.4 meters; P < .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that WIC changes improved the availability of healthy foods in small stores in New Orleans. Similar changes throughout the country could have a significant impact on neighborhood food environments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Global Community Health, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA. Electronic address: diego@tulane.edu.
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.affiliation: Department of Global Community Health, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Keelia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Malley
authors.affiliation: Department of Global Community Health, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Lauren Futrell
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Dunaway
authors.affiliation: Department of Global Community Health, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: J Nicholas
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Bodor
mesh_terms: D063105:Food Assistance; D005523:Food Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005638:Fruit; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D055820:New Orleans; D014481:United States; D016885:United States Department of Agriculture; D014675:Vegetables
keywords: United States Department of Agriculture; WIC; food environment; food supply; policy