WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study–II

Study Specifics

Lead/funding agency:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Co-funders:

N/A

Scientific partners:

N/A

Contract/grant number:

AG-3198-B-11-0020

Link to FOA (Funding Opportunity Announcement):

N/A

Project website:

N/A

Last updated:

June 2015

Project Timeline

Contract award date:

September 2011

Projected completion:

December 2018

Data collection window:

July 2013-July 2017

Abstract

The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study-II (IFPS-2) is designed to describe the feeding practices used by caregivers and measure the nutrition outcomes of children who participate in WIC. The study uses a longitudinal design. Caregivers respond to surveys periodically from a prenatal interview through the infant’s third birthday. The study expands upon the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s WIC Infant Feeding Practices Study (WIC IFPS-1) and complements the Food and Drug Administration’s Infant Feeding Practices Study II (FDA IFPS-II).

Research Design & Aims

Research design:

Longitudinal

Sites/target populations:

Sites

The research team recruited 80 WIC sites from 27 state Agencies to participate in the study and speak with them about the program service delivery.

Target Populations

The target study population is the infant who starts WIC participation before 3 months of age, followed through 36 months of age without regard to continuation of WIC participation or eligibility. The study conducts interviews with the mother (or primary caregiver). A total of 4,367 WIC participants are enrolled in the study.

Aims:

• Update results of data collected in the 1997 WIC  Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study (IFPS-1).
• Compare new findings with other major studies (WIC IFPS-1, FDA IFPS-II, and the FITS 2002 and 2008).
• Assess effectiveness of different education and breastfeeding promotion approaches in achieving recommended feeding patterns and behaviors.
• Assess conditions of overfeeding, over consumption, underfeeding, and inappropriate feeding.
• Identify nutrition education influences.
• Assess impact of WIC food packages on outcomes.
• Determine change in maternal feeding practices and behaviors over time as infants and toddlers transition into and out of WIC.

Intervention description if applicable:

N/A

Logic Models

Data Collection Approach

Data collection:

During the four-year data collection period that began in July 2013, the study will collect data from numerous sources. The main source is a series of follow-up telephone interviews with the mother. All post-birth telephone interviews except the 30-month interview include a 24-hour dietary recall using the Automated Multi-Pass Method (AMPM). Other key information such as a child’s weight and length is obtained periodically from WIC administrative records or health care providers. Also, contextual information about the WIC sites and state policies is obtained from clinic and WIC program staff. The data sources include:

• Screening and enrollment interviews with recruited WIC enrollees
• Telephone follow-up interviews with study participants conducted prenatally and when the babies are 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months of age
• WIC administrative records or health care providers for height and weight measures when the babies are born and at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months of age
• WIC administrative records for WIC food packages provided to mothers and babies
• Site visits to participating WIC sites and key informant interviews that profile local policies and practices
• A WIC site staff web survey that collects information on local WIC programs and the training and experience of the staff

Resources

Questionnaires/surveys:

Link to instruments can be found at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAICList?ref_nbr=201208-0584-002

Publication information:

WIC ITFPS-2 Infant Report: Intention to Breastfeed
Click here to read. 

WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study: protocol design and implementation
Click here to read.