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The impact of aging out of WIC on food security in households with children

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  • Arteaga, Irma
  • Heflin, Colleen
  • Gable, Sara

Abstract

Correlational research suggests that disadvantaged families with young children who are food insecure often participate in the Women Infants and Children program (WIC). While there has been a considerable amount of research on the association between WIC participation and food insecurity, these studies have reported mixed findings and do not explore the effects of WIC at a critical age, when children turn five years old. This paper estimates the effects of aging out of WIC on rates of household food insecurity using the exogenous rule that children are eligible for the WIC program until the day before they turn 61months old. Using a regression discontinuity design and the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth-cohort dataset, we find that there is an increase in rates of food insecurity for children who become age-ineligible for WIC (i.e., reach 61months of age) and who have not yet started kindergarten. Furthermore, this effect is robust under different models, bandwidths and analytic samples.

Suggested Citation

  • Arteaga, Irma & Heflin, Colleen & Gable, Sara, 2016. "The impact of aging out of WIC on food security in households with children," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 82-96.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:69:y:2016:i:c:p:82-96
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.07.015
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    8. Lee, Bong Joo & Mackey-Bilaver, Lucy, 2007. "Effects of WIC and Food Stamp Program participation on child outcomes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 501-517, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Valizadeh, Pourya & Smith, Travis A., 2018. "Distributional Impacts of WIC on Dietary Quality of Children: Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Design," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 273904, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    2. Irma Arteaga & Colleen Heflin & Sarah Parsons, 2019. "Design Flaws: Consequences of the Coverage Gap in Food Programs for Children at Kindergarten Entry," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 41(2), pages 265-283, June.
    3. Seung Jin Cho, 2022. "The effect of aging out of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program on food insecurity," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(4), pages 664-685, April.

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