WIC Nutrition Risk Criteria A Scientific Assessment (1996) / Chapter Skim
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2 POVERTY AND NUTRITION RISK
2 POVERTY AND NUTRITION RISK
Pages 41-52
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From page 41... ...
By using both an income standard of up to 185 percent of the federal poverty level and nutrition risk criteria in determining eligibility for participation in the WIC program, the WIC program attempts to target scarce program resources to those individuals with limited economic resources who are at the highest risk of poor outcomes. Before reviewing (in subsequent chapters)
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From page 42... ...
First, current poverty thresholds are based on 1955 food consumption and expenditure patterns and do not reflect the resources required for a minimally adequate standard of living today. Second, measures of family income do not account for inkind benefits such as food stamps, free or reduced-price school meals under the child nutrition programs, donated USDA commodity food, Medicaid, and public housing subsidies, nor do they consider fixed expenses, such as child care and child support, taxes, housing, and medical expenses.
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From page 43... ...
analyzed rates of low birth weight for large cohorts of births in Los Angeles County from 1982 to 1983 and found that median family income was a strong predictor of the relative
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From page 44... ...
In addition, the study findings show the importance of factors antecedent to pregnancy, such as long-term poverty or poverty before pregnancy, in understanding variations in the risk of low birth weight. Although the relationship between poverty and poor perinatal outcomes is well established, the mechanisms by which poverty or low socioeconomic status exerts an influence on perinatal outcome are less clear.
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From page 45... ...
POVERTY AND NUTRITION RISK FOR INFANTS AND CHILDREN Poverty among children is associated with impaired growth and cognitive development. Empirical evidence shows that poverty is related to almost all indicators of child growth and development and to almost all intervening risk factors for delayed growth and development.
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From page 46... ...
among poor children than among nonpoor children and greater differentials according to long-term rather than short-term measures of poverty. These detrimental effects of chronic poverty persist after controlling for other mediating factors such as maternal age and education, family structure, race, height and weight of the mother, and newborn birth weight.
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From page 47... ...
found that children in families with incomes less than 130 percent of the poverty level were more likely to have fat intakes exceeding 40 percent of their total food energy intakes, consume higher amounts of saturated fat, and have higher cholesterol intakes than children in higher-income households. EFFECTS OF WIC PROGRAM PARTICIPATION Through the provision of supplemental nutritious foods, nutrition education, and health and social service referrals, the WIC program is expected to improve the nutrition status of low-income women, infants, and children by addressing the risk factors for poor outcomes.
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From page 48... ...
The findings for prenatal WIC program participants were as follows: no statistically significant effect on newborn birth weight; increased infant head circumference; increased birth weight and head circumference with better WIC program quality; no statistically significant effect on gestational age; appreciable but not statistically significant reduction in the incidence of fetal death; and increased maternal intakes of protein, iron, calcium, and vitamin C (four of the five nutrients targeted by the WIC program)
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From page 49... ...
Subsequently, the additional provision in the legislation reauthorizing the WIC program in 1994 gives the states the option of certifying pregnant women whose incomes make them eligible for participation as presumptively eligible for WIC program services, even if the results from health and nutrition screenin~,s are not known. Screening results, however, must be available within 60 days and must establish nutrition risk.
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From page 50... ...
1992. Medicaid costs and birth outcomes: The effects of prenatal WIC participation and the use of prenatal care.
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From page 51... ...
1991. Race, family income, and low birth weight.
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From page 52... ...
1992. Pediatric nutrition surveillance system United States, 1980-1991.
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