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The WIC Program: Background, Trends, and Economic Issues, 2009 Edition

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  • Oliveira, Victor
  • Frazao, Elizabeth

Abstract

The mission of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children through age 4 who are at nutritional risk. WIC provides nutritious foods to supplement diets, nutrition education, and referrals to health care and other social services. Administered by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), almost half of all infants and about a quarter of all children ages 1-4 in the United States participate in the program. WIC is USDA’s third-largest food and nutrition assistance program, accounting for 10 percent of total Federal spending on food and nutrition assistance. This report describes the WIC program—how it works, its history, program trends, and the characteristics of the population it serves. It also examines current issues facing WIC, focusing mainly on those with important economic implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Oliveira, Victor & Frazao, Elizabeth, 2009. "The WIC Program: Background, Trends, and Economic Issues, 2009 Edition," Economic Research Report 55839, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:uersrr:55839
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.55839
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ted Joyce & Andrew Racine & Cristina Yunzal-Butler, 2008. "Reassessing the WIC effect: Evidence from the Pregnancy Nutrition Surveillance System," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(2), pages 277-303.
    2. Oliveira, Victor & Davis, David E., 2006. "Recent Trends and Economic Issues in the WIC Infant Formula Rebate Program," MPRA Paper 6657, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    4. Herman, D.R. & Harrison, G.G. & Afifi, A.A. & Jenks, E., 2008. "Effect of a targeted subsidy on intake of fruits and vegetables among low-income women in the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 98(1), pages 98-105.
    5. Committee to Review the WIC Food Packages of which Barbara L. Devaney is a member, "undated". "WIC Food Packages: Time for a Change," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 989d259284974842a250546c8, Mathematica Policy Research.
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    7. Bell, Loren & Ledsky, Rebecca & Silva, Sandra & Anthony, Jodi, 2007. "An Assessment of the Impact of Medicaid Managed Care on WIC Program Coordination With Primary Care Services," Contractor and Cooperator Reports 292008, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jackson, Margot I. & Mayne, Patrick, 2016. "Child access to the nutritional safety net during and after the Great Recession: The case of WIC," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 197-207.
    2. Han, Euna & Powell, Lisa M. & Isgor, Zeynep, 2012. "Supplemental nutrition assistance program and body weight outcomes: The role of economic contextual factors," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(12), pages 1874-1881.
    3. Katherine Meckel, 2020. "Is the Cure Worse Than the Disease? Unintended Effects of Payment Reform in a Quantity-Based Transfer Program," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 110(6), pages 1821-1865, June.
    4. Hinnosaar, Marit, 2018. "How long do healthy habits last? The role of prices," CEPR Discussion Papers 12815, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Jackson, Margot I., 2015. "Early childhood WIC participation, cognitive development and academic achievement," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 145-153.
    6. Tina L. Saitone & Richard J. Sexton & Richard J. Volpe, 2015. "A Wicked Problem? Cost Containment in the Women, Infants and Children Program," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 37(3), pages 378-402.
    7. Kinsey, Jean D., 2013. "The economics of federal food programs: Weighing the costs and benefits," C-FARE Reports 156193, Council on Food, Agricultural, and Resource Economics (C-FARE).
    8. Lisa M. Powell & Frank J. Chaloupka, 2011. "Economic Contextual Factors and Child Body Mass Index," NBER Chapters, in: Economic Aspects of Obesity, pages 127-144, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Jennifer J. Quinlan, 2013. "Foodborne Illness Incidence Rates and Food Safety Risks for Populations of Low Socioeconomic Status and Minority Race/Ethnicity: A Review of the Literature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-19, August.
    10. Hoynes, Hilary & Page, Marianne & Stevens, Ann Huff, 2011. "Can targeted transfers improve birth outcomes?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(7), pages 813-827.
    11. Hodges, Leslie & Toossi, Saied & Todd, Jessica E. & Ryan-Claytor, Cayley, 2024. "The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Background, Trends, and Economic Issues, 2024 Edition," Economic Information Bulletin 341637, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    12. Thesia I. Garner & Charles Hokayem, 2012. "Supplemental Poverty Measure Thresholds: Imputing School Lunch and WIC Benefits to the Consumer Expenditure Survey Using the Current Population Survey," Working Papers 457, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    13. Todd, Jessica E. & Newman, Constance & Ver Ploeg, Michele, 2010. "Changing Participation in Food Assistance Programs Among Low-Income Children After Welfare Reform," Economic Research Report 58613, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    14. Dong, Diansheng & Stewart, Hayden & Frazão, Elizabeth & Carlson, Andrea & Hyman, Jeffrey, 2016. "WIC Household Food Purchases Using WIC Benefits or Paying Out of Pocket: A Case Study of Cold Cereal Purchases," Economic Research Report 262197, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

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