Longer Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Participation Duration Is Associated with Higher Diet Quality at Age 5 Years.

Longer WIC participation was associated with reduced HFI and higher diet quality, and unexpectedly with higher obesity odds, at 60 mo. Further research is needed to confirm and understand mechanisms underlying the unexpected associations identified with longer WIC participation (e.g., male sex, obesity). Groups with shorter participation durations may benefit from targeted WIC retention efforts to maximize nutrition security.