ERIC Number: EJ965489
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1499-4046
EISSN: N/A
The Impact of WIC Food Package Changes on Access to Healthful Food in 2 Low-Income Urban Neighborhoods
Hillier, Amy; McLaughlin, Jacqueline; Cannuscio, Carolyn C.; Chilton, Mariana; Krasny, Sarah; Karpyn, Allison
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, v44 n3 p210-216 May-Jun 2012
Objective: To evaluate the impact of the 2009 food package changes for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) on the availability of healthful food. Design: Survey of all food stores in the study area before and after the changes were implemented. Setting: Two low-income neighborhoods in Philadelphia, 1 predominantly African-American, the other predominantly Hispanic. Participants: One hundred forty one supermarkets, grocery stores, and non-chain corner stores identified through field enumeration. Main Outcome Measures: Nutrition Environment Measure Survey for Stores (NEMS-S) to determine availability, price, and quality of fruit, vegetables, milk, cereal, beans, canned fish, meat, whole grains, and juice. Analysis: Comparison of NEMS-S scores before and after food package changes using t tests and ordinary least squares regression to understand the role of supermarket status, WIC participation, and racial and income composition in predicting NEMS-S scores; geographic information systems to calculate proximity of residents to food stores. Results: The availability of healthful food increased significantly in stores, overall, with more substantial increases in WIC-authorized stores. Supermarket status, WIC retail status, and NEMS-S scores at baseline were significant predictors of NEMS-S scores after the food package changes. Conclusions and Implications: Changes in the WIC food package were associated with increased availability of healthful food in 2 low-income neighborhoods. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.)
Descriptors: Geographic Information Systems, Neighborhoods, Income, Nutrition, Least Squares Statistics, Adults, Children, Females, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Field Studies, Food, Prediction, Urban Areas, Evaluation Methods, Retailing
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Adult Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Pennsylvania
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A