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Landry MJ, Phan K, McGuirt JT, Ostrander A, Ademu L, Seibold M, McCallops K, Tracy T, Fleischhacker SE, Karpyn A. USDA Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Vendor Criteria: An Examination of US Administrative Agency Variations. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:3545. [PMID: 33805495 PMCID: PMC8037245 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18073545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The food retail environment has been directly linked to disparities in dietary behaviors and may in part explain racial and ethnic disparities in pregnancy-related deaths. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), administered by the United States Department of Agriculture, is associated with improved healthy food and beverage access due to its requirement for minimum stock of healthy foods and beverages in WIC-eligible stores. The selection and authorization criteria used to authorize WIC vendors varies widely from state to state with little known about the specific variations. This paper reviews and summarizes the differences across 16 of these criteria enacted by 89 WIC administrative agencies: the 50 states, the District of Columbia, five US Territories, and 33 Indian Tribal Organizations. Vendor selection and authorization criteria varied across WIC agencies without any consistent pattern. The wide variations in criteria and policies raise questions about the rational for inconsistency. Some of these variations, in combination, may result in reduced access to WIC-approved foods and beverages by WIC participants. For example, minimum square footage and/or number of cash register criteria may limit vendors to larger retail operations that are not typically located in high-risk, under-resourced communities where WIC vendors are most needed. Results highlight an opportunity to convene WIC stakeholders to review variations, their rationale, and implications thereof especially as this process could result in improved policies to ensure and improve healthy food and beverage access by WIC participants. More work remains to better understand the value of state WIC vendor authorization authority, particularly in states that have provided stronger monitoring requirements. This work might also examine if and how streamlining WIC vendor criteria (or at least certain components of them) across regional areas or across the country could provide an opportunity to advance interstate commerce and promote an equitable supply of food across the food system, while ensuring the protection for local, community-oriented WIC vendors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Landry
- Stanford Prevention Research Center, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA;
| | - Kim Phan
- Harvard College, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA;
| | - Jared T. McGuirt
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA;
| | - Alek Ostrander
- School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;
| | - Lilian Ademu
- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA;
| | - Mia Seibold
- Center for Research in Education & Social Policy, College of Education & Human Development, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA; (M.S.); (K.M.); (T.T.)
| | - Kathleen McCallops
- Center for Research in Education & Social Policy, College of Education & Human Development, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA; (M.S.); (K.M.); (T.T.)
| | - Tara Tracy
- Center for Research in Education & Social Policy, College of Education & Human Development, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA; (M.S.); (K.M.); (T.T.)
| | | | - Allison Karpyn
- Center for Research in Education & Social Policy, College of Education & Human Development, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA; (M.S.); (K.M.); (T.T.)
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Moran AJ, Gu Y, Clynes S, Goheer A, Roberto CA, Palmer A. Associations between Governmental Policies to Improve the Nutritional Quality of Supermarket Purchases and Individual, Retailer, and Community Health Outcomes: An Integrative Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E7493. [PMID: 33076280 PMCID: PMC7602424 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17207493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Supermarkets are natural and important settings for implementing environmental interventions to improve healthy eating, and governmental policies could help improve the nutritional quality of purchases in this setting. This review aimed to: (1) identify governmental policies in the United States (U.S.), including regulatory and legislative actions of federal, tribal, state, and local governments, designed to promote healthy choices in supermarkets; and (2) synthesize evidence of these policies' effects on retailers, consumers, and community health. We searched five policy databases and developed a list of seven policy actions that meet our inclusion criteria: calorie labeling of prepared foods in supermarkets; increasing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits; financial incentives for the purchase of fruit and vegetables; sweetened beverage taxes; revisions to the USDA Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food package; financial assistance for supermarkets to open in underserved areas; and allowing online purchases with SNAP. We searched PubMed, Econlit, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Business Source Ultimate to identify peer-reviewed, academic, English-language literature published at any time until January 2020; 147 studies were included in the review. Sweetened beverage taxes, revisions to the WIC food package, and financial incentives for fruits and vegetables were associated with improvements in dietary behaviors (food purchases and/or consumption). Providing financial incentives to supermarkets to open in underserved areas and increases in SNAP benefits were not associated with changes in food purchasing or diet quality but may improve food security. More research is needed to understand the effects of calorie labeling in supermarkets and online SNAP purchasing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa J. Moran
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
| | - Yuxuan Gu
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (Y.G.); (S.C.)
| | - Sasha Clynes
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (Y.G.); (S.C.)
| | - Attia Goheer
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
| | - Christina A. Roberto
- Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
| | - Anne Palmer
- Department of Health Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
- Center for a Livable Future, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21202, USA
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Ghodsi D, Omidvar N, Rashidian A, Eini-Zinab H, Raghfar H, Aghayan M. Effectiveness of the national food supplementary program on children growth and nutritional status in Iran. MATERNAL AND CHILD NUTRITION 2018; 14:e12591. [PMID: 29573559 DOI: 10.1111/mcn.12591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 11/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the national food distribution program on the growth and nutritional status of malnourished or growth-retarded children in 2 provinces of Iran. A quasi-experimental design was used for the effectiveness evaluation. Qualitative data were gathered to explain the results. An intervention group consisted of 362 children aged 6-72 months who were under coverage of the program. These children received monthly food as foodstuff, food vouchers, or cash. A comparison group included 409 children aged 6-72 months who were selected from those covered by the Primary Health Care system. Children anthropometric indices were measured at the baseline and also 6 months later. Twelve focus group discussions were held with mothers who had at least 1 child under the coverage of the program. At the end of the study, the mean weight-for-age Z scores, height-for-age Z scores, and weight-for-height Z scores increased compared with the baselines in both groups (p < .001). The differences between 2 groups in weight-for-age Z scores, height-for-age Z scores, and weight-for-height Z scores were not significant at the end of the study (p = .62, p = .91, and p = .94, respectively). According to the mothers' reports, factors affected the program outcome, that is, children anthropometric indices were low income, intrahousehold food sharing, irregular distribution, quantity and quality of the distributed food, and insufficient training. Providing foods for the malnourished children living in low-income families helped to prevent a worsening of their nutritional status; however, it has not been effective in solving the problem, probably due to the weak implementation and lack of empowerment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delaram Ghodsi
- Department of Community Nutrition, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nasrin Omidvar
- Department of Community Nutrition, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Arash Rashidian
- Department of Health Management and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hassan Eini-Zinab
- Department of Community Nutrition, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Maryam Aghayan
- Department of Community Nutrition, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Ng SW, Hollingsworth BA, Busey EA, Wandell JL, Miles DR, Poti JM. Federal Nutrition Program Revisions Impact Low-income Households' Food Purchases. Am J Prev Med 2018; 54:403-412. [PMID: 29455757 PMCID: PMC5820777 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2017.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) required major revisions to food packages in 2009; effects on nationwide low-income household purchases remain unexamined. METHODS This study examines associations between WIC revisions and nutritional profiles of packaged food purchases from 2008 to 2014 among 4,537 low-income households with preschoolers in the U.S. (WIC participating versus nonparticipating) utilizing Nielsen Homescan Consumer Panel data. Overall nutrients purchased (e.g., calories, sugar, fat), amounts of select food groups with nutritional attributes that are encouraged (e.g., whole grains, fruits and vegetables) or discouraged (e.g., sugar-sweetened beverages, candy) consistent with dietary guidance, composition of purchases by degree of processing (less, moderate, or high), and convenience (requires preparation, ready to heat, or ready to eat) were measured. Data analysis was performed in 2016. Longitudinal random-effects model adjusted outcomes controlling for household composition, education, race/ethnicity of the head of the household, county quarterly unemployment rates, and seasonality are presented. RESULTS Among WIC households, significant decreases in purchases of calories (-11%), sodium (-12%), total fat (-10%), and sugar (-15%) occurred, alongside decreases in purchases of refined grains, grain-based desserts, higher-fat milks, and sugar-sweetened beverages, and increases in purchases of fruits/vegetables with no added sugar/fats/salt. Income-eligible nonparticipating households had similar, but less pronounced, reductions. Changes were gradual and increased over time. CONCLUSIONS WIC food package revisions appear associated with improved nutritional profiles of food purchases among WIC participating households compared with low-income nonparticipating households. These package revisions may encourage WIC families to make healthier choices among their overall packaged food purchases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Wen Ng
- Department of Nutrition and Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
| | - Bridget A Hollingsworth
- Department of Nutrition and Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Emily A Busey
- Department of Nutrition and Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Julie L Wandell
- Department of Nutrition and Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Donna R Miles
- Department of Nutrition and Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jennifer M Poti
- Department of Nutrition and Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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Food labelling, food retail availability and food pricing – moving from research to action? Public Health Nutr 2014. [DOI: 10.1017/s1368980014002638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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