Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

A large body of literature suggests that an individual’s first years of life are critical for long-term economic, health, and social outcomes. However, the effect of public programs on early-life skills formation is largely unknown because there are limitations related to selection into the programs and a scarcity of data on meaningful outcomes. In this study, we use novel data from a longitudinal prospective cohort study conducted in Memphis, TN, to estimate the effects of the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program on early-life diet quality in children up to two years of age. Using robust empirical methods, we provide evidence that WIC participation is associated with an increase in diet quality (measured by Healthy Eating Index-2010). We find evidence that mothers' participation in the WIC program likely increases babies’ intake of the nutrients associated with early childhood development such as iron, folic acid, and vitamins B6 and B12. Overall, our results suggest that WIC program might decrease the gaps in diet quality.