Family Structure and the Benefits of Participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a food assistance program designed to help pregnant (or postpartum) women and young children consume a nutritious diet. Food, however, is often a communal commodity shared by all household members; thus, family structure may impact the health benefits received by a WIC participant. This paper uses data from the 2010 wave of the National Health Interview Survey to quantify the effect family structure has on the benefits received by an active WIC participant. Results suggest that an only child who participates in WIC receives a health benefit from their participation. The benefits received by children with siblings, however, are dependent on the age, gender, and number of siblings with whom they share a residence.