The information in this resource is intended only to provide educational information. This profile describes the estimated benefits, activities, resources, and leadership needed to implement a strategy to improve child health. This information can be useful for planning and prioritization purposes.
- Implementing the 2009 changes to the Special Supplemental Nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food package for children (ages 1-4 years) to better align with dietary guidelines.
What population benefits?
Children ages 2-4 who participate in the WIC program.
What are the estimated benefits?
Relative to not implementing the strategy
Promote healthy child weight.
What activities and resources are needed?
| Activities | Resources | Who Leads? |
| Oversee WIC food package change activities at the federal level | • Time for National WIC Project Officer to oversee and manage the food package change | National WIC Project Officer |
| Oversee and manage the food package change in each state | • Time for state WIC agency program staff to oversee and manage the food package change, including communicating the changes to WIC-eligible retailers and providing technical assistance to local WIC agencies | State WIC Program Staff |
| Update and maintain state information management systems | • Time for state database administrator to update and maintain the state’s information management system to reflect food package changes | State WIC Agency Database Administrator |
| Update retail store space, products, shelf tags, and equipment | • Cost to print and install shelf tags for grocery items that changed WIC eligibility due to the food package change • Time for store managers at small stores to reorganize shelf space to allocate space for WIC-eligible products • Cost of refrigeration equipment at small stores that require new refrigeration equipment to store newly WIC-eligible products • Time for store managers at small stores to add and acquire new products that meet WIC eligibility |
WIC-approved Retailers |
| Train store managers and employees in all WIC-eligible stores on the food package changes | • Time for store managers to attend trainings held by state WIC offices, set up systems in the store to ring up new WIC-eligible items, and answer questions from store employees • Time for store employees to attend trainings |
State WIC Program Staff |
| Communicate information about the food package changes to consumers in stores | • Production costs for in-store communication materials (posters, fliers) about the food package change | National WIC Project Officer |
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Kenney EL, Lee MM, Barrett JL, Ward ZJ, Long MW, Cradock AL, Williams DR, Gortmaker SL. Cost-effectiveness of improved WIC food package for preventing childhood obesity. Pediatrics. 2024 Jan 1;153(2):e2023063182. doi: 10.1542/peds.2023-063182.
- Browse more CHOICES research briefs & reports in the CHOICES Resource Library.
- Explore and compare this strategy with other strategies on the CHOICES National Action Kit.
Suggested Citation
CHOICES Strategy Profile: Improved WIC Food Package for 1-4-Year-Olds (2009). CHOICES Project Team at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; March 2024.
Funding
This work is supported by The JPB Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U48DP006376). The information provided here is intended to be used for educational purposes. Links to other resources and websites are intended to provide additional information aligned with this educational purpose. The findings and conclusions are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or other funders.
Adapted from the TIDieR (Template for Intervention Description and Replication) Checklist
