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Comparing Weight-for-Length Status of Young Children in Two Infant Feeding Programs
Heather Aldrich1, Bonnie Gance-Cleveland2
1College of Nursing, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 13120 E. 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
Insights
Children in the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) and Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) face high risks of excess weight. NFP participation showed a slight protective effect against high weight-for-length by 24 months.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Public Health Interventions
- Childhood Obesity
Background:
- Infant and toddler populations in early support programs are at risk for high weight-for-length.
- Understanding growth trajectories within these programs is crucial for public health strategies.
- Racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities impact weight status in early childhood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the weight-for-length status of children aged 6-24 months enrolled in the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) versus the Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
- To evaluate infant and toddler growth trajectories and identify factors associated with high weight-for-length.
- To assess the impact of program participation on early childhood weight status.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study utilizing secondary analysis of national NFP and WIC datasets (NFP: n=44,980; WIC: n=31,294).
- Weight-for-length status calculated at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months using World Health Organization criteria.
- Binary logistic regression used to determine odds ratios for high weight-for-length (≥97.7 percentile).
Main Results:
- Approximately 10% of children in both NFP and WIC programs were classified as high weight-for-length at 6 months.
- High weight-for-length rates increased similarly in both groups until 24 months.
- At 24 months, NFP children exhibited significantly lower rates of excess weight (15.5%) compared to WIC children (17.5%; P=0.03).
- Non-Hispanic white children consistently had lower rates of high weight-for-length than Hispanic and non-Hispanic black children.
- NFP infants demonstrated higher rates of ever being breastfed compared to WIC infants (P < 0.0001).
Conclusions:
- Both NFP and WIC serve populations at increased risk for high weight-for-length in infants and toddlers.
- NFP participation was associated with a small but significant protective effect on weight-for-length status at 24 months.
- Addressing weight-related disparities based on race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status is essential in early childhood interventions.
Abstract:
Objectives A cross-sectional study comparing weight-for-length status of children 6-24 months old who participated in Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) or Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Methods Secondary analysis of NFP (n = 44,980) and WIC (n = 31,294) national datasets was conducted to evaluate infant and toddler growth trajectories. Weight-for-length status was calculated at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months based on World Health Organization criteria. Demographics and breastfeeding rates were also evaluated. Binary logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios for high weight-for-length (≥97.7 percentile) at each time point. Results At 6 months, approximately 10 % of WIC and NFP children were classified as high weight-for-length. High weight-for-length rates increased for both groups similarly until 24 months. At 24 months, NFP children had significantly lower rates of excess weight (P = 0.03) than WIC children, 15.5 and 17.5 % respectively. At all time points, non-Hispanic white children had lower rates of high-weight for length than Hispanic and non-Hispanic black children. NFP infants were also found to have higher rates of ever being breastfed than WIC infants (P < 0.0001). Conclusions for Practice Infant and toddler populations served by NFP or WIC were found to be at increased risk for high weight-for-length. This study found NFP participation was associated with a small, but significant, protective impact on weight-for-length status at 24 months. Continued efforts need to be made in addressing weight-related racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities during early childhood.
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