Southern Seven: Obesity declines in young children enrolled in WIC

Southern Seven Health Department reports that a new study shows significant declines in obesity among young children from low-income families who are enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, WIC. 

The report was released in November by the Centers for Disease Control, CDC.

The report shared that 41 U.S. states and territories showed significant declines in obesity among children ages 2 to 4 years from low-income families who were enrolled in WIC between 2010 and 2016.

The report highlighted data which was published in the CDC’s recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, MMWR.

In 2009, WIC state agencies were required to implement redesigned WIC food packages to better align with the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans and infant feeding practice guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

The change led to increased availability of healthier foods and beverages in authorized WIC stores and improved dietary quality among families who enrolled in WIC.

In addition to the food packages, WIC helps to establish successful long-term breast-feeding, provides participants with a wider variety of food and offers WIC state agencies greater flexibility in prescribing food packages to adapt to participants with cultural food preferences.

CDC and U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, researchers analyzed obesity trends from 2010 to 2016 among young children, ages 2 to 4 years, from low-income families enrolled in WIC. 

Over 12.4 million children ages 2 to 4 years from 56 WIC state agencies and territories were included in the study.

To be eligible for WIC through Southern Seven Health Department, a woman must be pregnant or breast-feeding or have an infant or child up to age 5, meet income eligibility guidelines, show a medical or nutritional need, and live in Alexander, Hardin, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski or Union county in Illinois. 

In Illinois, WIC is administered by the Illinois Department of Human Services and is funded by USDA.

To learn how to enroll in WIC through the Southern Seven Health Department, call 618-634-2297, extension, 157 or visit southern7.org.