Do WIC participants' intentions pave the road to better food choices? An analysis of food purchasing intent vs. behavior for English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese-speaking participants

On October 1, 2009 significant changes were implemented in the foods that are offered to WIC participants, with the goal of promoting healthier food purchasing and consumption behaviors among WIC participants of all ethnicities and languages. The purpose of this presentation is to determine whether WIC participants' intentions to purchase healthier foods prior to the food package change was related to actual changes in food purchases after the new food package was introduced, and whether these changes differed by the primary language of the WIC participant. A baseline study was conducted in summer 2007 (n=3,085 families surveyed) prior to making changes to the food package or education. A subsequent study was conducted in summer 2010, nine months after implementation of the new food packages to compare results with 2007 findings and identify changes. In both studies we used a random, stratified sample design and collected data from clinics in rural, micropolitan, and metropolitan locations statewide. Face-to-face interviews were conducted by bilingual college students in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, or Chinese using an on-line survey tool. Results of the 2007 survey demonstrated significant differences in food purchasing patterns by primary language. The baseline survey also found that intent to change purchasing behavior varied significantly by primary language. Vietnamese speakers expressed less interest in changing grain consumption to whole grains, in purchasing canned or frozen fruits and vegetables, or in purchasing lower fat milk with WIC checks. Spanish speakers expressed the most interest in purchasing whole grains and lower fat milks. Nearly all participants across languages were interested in purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables with WIC checks. Results from the 2010 survey will be compared with results from 2007 to see if changes in food purchasing patterns vary by primary language. Results from 2007 and 2010 will also be compared to determine the extent to which cohort purchasing intentions are associated with purchasing behaviors of later cohorts within each language group.