Browsing by Subject "WIC"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Beverage consumption and the incidence of overweight and obesity in an Indianapolis WIC population
    (2016-08-19) Foster, Joshua J.; O'Palka, Jacquelynn; Blackburn, Sara; Li, Wei
    The incidence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescence is a global health concern. The long term health implications of overweight or obesity include respiratory issues, mobility joint issues, cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and certain types of cancer. The incidence of overweight and obesity is more common in low socioeconomic populations. Though there are many factors influencing children who become overweight or obese, beverage consumption is of particular interest since it is hypothesized that the energy supplied by beverages is not compensated by energy intake from the rest of the diet.
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    The Impact of Online Nutrition Education on WIC Client Retention and Redemption of the Cash Value Benefit of Fruit and Vegetables
    (2021-06) Gray, Sara Michelle; O'Palka, Jacquelynn; Blackburn, Sara A.; Magee, Paula
    All participants of the Indiana Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infant and Children (WIC) receive supplemental foods, nutrition education, and health care referrals. The Indiana WIC program established an online nutrition education program to help eliminate barriers to participants who are unable to be physically present for their second nutrition education appointments. The aim of this study was to compare the participation of WIC participants enrolled in standard in-person appointments with WIC participants enrolled in the Online Nutrition Education (ONE) pilot program by assessing the completion of the ONE lessons and the cash value benefit usage at 3 months after participants’ acceptance into the WIC program. A quasi-experiment was performed using a time series comparison of WIC participant attendance at their in-person nutrition education appointment to participants completion of an online nutrition education lesson. A second comparison of the two groups observed the participants redemption of their cash value benefit on fruits and vegetables (CVB). The increase in participation from 2019 to 2020 was statistically significant (P=0.035). Analysis showed that there was a significant difference (P ≤ 0.001) between the 2019 and 2020 CVB mean redemption rates. This study provides evidence that WIC participants are more likely to maintain their participation when offered the addition of an online nutrition education appointment type.
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    Nutrition provider confidence in the Massachusetts Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (MA-CORD) study
    (Elsevier, 2019-01-25) Cheng, Erika R.; Nelson, Candace C.; Leung-Strle, Peggy; Colchamiro, Rachel; Taveras, Elsie M.; Woo Baidal, Jennifer A.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Objective: The multi-sector, multi-level Massachusetts Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (MA-CORD) study resulted in improvements in obesity risk factors among children age 2-4 years enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The goal of this study was to examine whether the MA-CORD intervention increased WIC provider confidence in their ability to identify childhood obesity and obesity-related behaviors. Methods: As part of the MA-CORD intervention conducted from 2012 to 2015, we implemented WIC practice changes focused on childhood obesity prevention within two Massachusetts communities. We examined changes in provider confidence to assess childhood obesity risk factors and practice frequency among WIC practices located in MA-CORD intervention communities over a 3-year period, compared to non-intervention sites. We measured provider confidence on a continuous scale using questions previously developed to assess provider and parent confidence to make weight-related behavior change (range 0 to 24). Results: There were 205 providers at baseline and 165 at follow-up. WIC providers at intervention sites reported greater confidence in their ability to identify childhood obesity and obesity-related behaviors compared to the usual care sites (β = 1.01, standard error = 0.13). These findings persisted after adjusting for provider gender, years in practice, highest education level, and WIC position. Conclusions: The MA-CORD intervention was associated with increased WIC provider confidence to assess children's obesity risk. Interventions that increase confidence in assessing obesity-related behaviors may have salutary effects within WIC programs that serve low-income families.
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    Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education Improves Food Security Independent of Food Assistance and Program Characteristics
    (MDPI, 2020-08-29) Eicher-Miller, Heather A.; Rivera, Rebecca L.; Sun, Hanxi; Zhang, Yumin; Maulding, Melissa K.; Abbott, Angela R.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    The purpose of this project was to determine whether consistent food assistance program participation or changes in participation over time mediated or moderated the effect of federal nutrition education through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) on food security and determine the associations of SNAP-Ed program delivery characteristics with change in food security. This secondary analysis used data from a randomized controlled trial from September 2013 through April 2015. SNAP-Ed-eligible participants (n = 328; ≥18 years) in households with children were recruited from 39 counties in Indiana, USA. The dependent variable was one year change in household food security score measured using the United States Household Food Security Survey Module. Assessment of mediation used Barron-Kenny analysis and moderation used interactions of food assistance program use and changes over time with treatment group in general linear regression modeling. Program delivery characteristics were investigated using mixed linear regression modeling. Results showed that neither consistent participation nor changes in food assistance program participation over time mediated nor moderated the effect of SNAP-Ed on food security and neither were SNAP-Ed program delivery characteristics associated with change in food security over the one year study period. SNAP-Ed directly improved food security among SNAP-Ed-eligible Indiana households with children regardless of food assistance program participation and changes over time or varying program delivery characteristics.