Electronic Publications from the Food Assistance & Nutrition Research Program No. (EFAN-04014-2) 195 pp

December 2004

Nutrition and Health Characteristics of Low-Income Populations: Volume II, WIC Participants and Nonparticipants

by Nancy Cole, Mary Kay Fox, and Biing-Hwan Lin

Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES-III), conducted in 1988-94, were used to compare the nutrition and health characteristics of participants and nonparticipants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). This research was designed to establish a baseline from which to monitor the nutritional and health characteristics of WIC participants and nonparticipants over time. Because of age-based variations in the survey protocols and small samples of pregnant and postpartum women, data were not consistently available among women, infants, and children. Data availability was the richest for children and most limited for pregnant women.

Keywords: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, WIC, food assistance, program nonparticipants, nutrition and health outcomes, Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NHANES-III, low-income populations, FANRP

In this publication...