Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Dec 21;18(12):e0295902.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295902. eCollection 2023.

Perspectives on healthy eating practices and acceptance of WIC-approved foods among parents of young children enrolled in WIC

Nour M Hammad  1 , Melissa C Kay  2
Affiliations

Perspectives on healthy eating practices and acceptance of WIC-approved foods among parents of young children enrolled in WIC

Nour M Hammad et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Introduction: The prevalence of childhood obesity remains high in the United States, particularly among children living in low-income households. Diet quality plays an important role in obesity prevention, particularly among mothers as they serve as role models. Those served by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) receive nutrient-rich foods aimed at increasing diet quality, yet redemption is low. Digital interventions targeting WIC parents show potential for behavior change and could be used for childhood obesity prevention.

Methods: This study describes the formative research conducted to understand perspectives on healthy eating practices, acceptance of WIC-approved foods, and preferences for the use of digital tools to improve the purchasing and consumption of WIC-approved foods to improve diet quality. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 WIC parents and caregivers.

Results: A variety of definitions for and misconceptions about healthy eating exist among WIC caregivers. Most purchased foods were fruits, vegetables, milk, cheese, and eggs and the least purchased foods were yogurt and peanut butter. The biggest facilitator for purchasing WIC-approved foods was the preference of children and caregivers, whereas the biggest barrier was children's picky eating behaviors. Most caregivers reported using their phone to get nutrition information. Most caregivers reported their interest in receiving weekly text messages and indicated preferences about receiving recipes.

Conclusion: A text messaging program that includes sending weekly messages, recipes, and nutrition tips is hypothesized to improve diet quality and increase redemption of WIC-approved foods.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Consort diagram describing flow of participants through the formative research.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Fryar CD CM, Afful J. Prevalence of overweight, obesity, and severe obesity among children and adolescents aged 2–19 years: United States, 1963–1965 through 2017–2018. 2020.
    1. Nehus E, Mitsnefes M. Childhood obesity and the metabolic syndrome. Pediatric Clinics. 2019;66(1):31–43. doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2018.08.004 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Singer K, Lumeng CN. The initiation of metabolic inflammation in childhood obesity. The Journal of clinical investigation. 2017;127(1):65–73. doi: 10.1172/JCI88882 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Topçu S, Orhon FŞ, Tayfun M, Uçaktürk SA, Demirel F. Anxiety, depression and self-esteem levels in obese children: a case-control study. Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2016;29(3):357–61. doi: 10.1515/jpem-2015-0254 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Taras H, Potts‐Datema W. Obesity and student performance at school. Journal of School Health. 2005;75(8):291–5. doi: 10.1111/j.1746-1561.2005.00040.x - DOI - PubMed