Twenty Years of WIC: A review of Some Effects of the Program

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) began in 1974 after a 2-year pilot program. WIC links food assistance and nutrition education to health care for at-risk persons. The program had approximately 344,000 participants in 1975 and has grown to provide services to nearly 6 million participants. Infants born to women who participate in WIC during pregnancy tend to have a slightly higher mean birth weight than those born to women who were eligible but did not participate in WIC. Higher birth weight has been associated with a slightly higher mean gestational age. The prevalence of low birth weight and very low birth weight among infants and the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia among toddlers and preschool children is lower for those participating in WIC than for those not participating in WIC.