About
The HER NOPREN WIC Learning Collaborative is a team of government and academic researchers, NGO representatives, and WIC and public health practitioners committed to improving the health of women who are pregnant and lactating and infants and young children through improved research, policy and practice of the USDA Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). This Collaborative is a joint effort of Healthy Eating Research (HER) and the Nutrition and Obesity Policy and Research Network (NOPREN).
About WIC
WIC provides federal grants to states for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for income eligible pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk. Individuals that qualify for WIC are only allowed to use their benefits on select pre-approved food items. The benefits of WIC include reducing premature birth, reducing fetal and infant deaths, improving maternal vitamin and mineral intake, and increasing access to regular healthcare.
Mission
Build a multidisciplinary learning collaborative made up of researchers, practitioners, and funding agencies committed to improving the health of women who are pregnant and lactating and infants and children through improved research, policy and practice of the USDA Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). This work includes:
- Fostering strong collaborative relationships with the HER NOPREN Healthy Food Retail Working Group and the HER NOPREN Early Childhood Working Group, among other NOPREN Working Groups
- Building strong relationships with and collaborating with Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), National WIC Association (NWIC), among other relevant groups and professional organizations for the purposes of research and evaluation of program, policy and practice to improve outcomes; and,
- Researching the needs of populations at highest risk for low diet quality and obesity.
Help build the evidence-base and accelerate the translation of evidence aiming to strengthen the public health impacts of WIC by:
- Creating a collaborative space to learn about relevant data and research projects;
- Identifying knowledge gaps and opportunities;
- Facilitating joint projects or multi-site collaborative projects; and,
Helping to foster the next generation of WIC researchers, practitioners, and advocates.
WIC Research Impact Award Articles
Past Awardees:
- Kenney, E. L., Lee, M. M., Barrett, J. L., Ward, Z. J., Long, M. W., Cradock, A. L., & Gortmaker, S. L. (2024). Cost-effectiveness of improved WIC food package for preventing childhood obesity. Pediatrics, 153(2), e2023063182.
- Smith, T. A., & Valizadeh, P. (2024). Aging out of WIC and child nutrition: evidence from a regression discontinuity design. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 106(2), 904-924.
- Anderson, C. E., Au, L. E., Yepez, C. E., Ritchie, L. D., Tsai, M. M., & Whaley, S. E. (2023). Increased WIC cash value benefit is associated with greater amount and diversity of redeemed fruits and vegetables among participating households. Current Developments in Nutrition, 7(9), 101986.
- Barnes, C., & Riel, V. (2022). ‘I don’t know nothing about that’: How “learning costs” undermine COVID-related efforts to make SNAP and WIC more accessible. Administration & Society, 54(10), 1902-1930.
- Nitto, A. M., Calloway, E. E., Anderson Steeves, E. T., Wieczorek Basl, A., Papa, F., Kersten, S. K., & Hill, J. L. (2022). State Agencies’ Perspectives on Planning and Preparing for WIC Online Ordering Implementation. Nutrients, 14(21), 4447.
Group Papers/Projects
- HER Brief: Strengthening WIC’s Impact During and After the COVID‑19 Pandemic
- USDA Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Vendor Criteria: An Examination of US Administrative Agency Variations
- The Risk of Homemade Infant Formulas: Historical and Contemporary Considerations
Webinars
If you are interested in the recordings of any of these webinars, please email [email protected] to request it.