Abstract
Objectives
To assess trends in food insecurity between 2005 and 2017—a period including the Great Recession—by participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).
Methods
Data from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), 2005–2017, were used, including 7421 households: WIC participants (n = 4184)—those participating in WIC only (n = 2315) and in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in addition to WIC (n = 1869)—and WIC-eligible non-participants (n = 3237). Multivariable logistic regression models were run with food insecurity as the outcome, WIC participation and survey year as predictors, and adjusted by children’s and family’s demographic and socioeconomic variables. Interactions between WIC participation and survey year were tested.
Results
WIC + SNAP participating households had higher crude food insecurity prevalence across time compared to WIC only and WIC-eligible non-participant households. In fully adjusted models: (1) food insecurity was higher between 2009 and 2017, compared to 2005, for all groups; (2) WIC participating households had higher odds of food insecurity than WIC-eligible non-participants (OR = 1.23, 95%CI = 1.10–1.38); (3) when WIC participants were split into WIC only and WIC + SNAP, WIC + SNAP households had higher odds of food insecurity than WIC-eligible non-participants (OR = 1.45, 95%CI = 1.27–1.66); and (4) the association between food insecurity and WIC participation did not change across time (interaction p-value > 0.10).
Conclusions
Food insecurity increased post-Great Recession among low-income households with children in California, with those participating in WIC, particularly in WIC + SNAP, at higher risk. WIC should consider additional referrals for households who participate in WIC + SNAP.
Significance
What is already known on this subject? Food insecurity prevalence spiked during the Great Recession for all U.S. households, including those participating in WIC and SNAP. In 2009, SNAP benefits were expanded, and the WIC food package change was updated.
What this study adds? Focusing on households with children who participated in WIC in California, this study found that food insecurity trends between 2005 and 2017 were not significantly different between WIC-eligible non-participant households and households who participated in WIC alone. On the other hand, households participating in WIC + SNAP had higher odds of food insecurity across time, when compared to WIC-eligible non-participant households.
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Data Availability
Data used in this paper are available via an application to CHIS’ Data Access Center.
Code Availability
SAS code used for this paper’s analyses is available upon request to the corresponding author.
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Funding
This study was funded by the Tufts University/University of Connecticut Research Innovation and Development Grants in Economics (RIDGE) Program.
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MPC and MAL performed the research. MPC designed the research study. MPC and MAL analyzed the data. MPC wrote the paper. MAL edited the paper.
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The analyses for this study were conducted by staff at the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) Data Access Center (DAC). The UCLA South General Institutional Review Board has approved the DAC to conduct analyses of confidential CHIS data (IRB#11-002227).
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Chaparro, M.P., Lopez, M.A. Trends in Food Insecurity Among Households with Children Participating in WIC and SNAP in California, 2005–2017. Matern Child Health J 28, 315–323 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-023-03829-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-023-03829-8