Repeatedly offering a variety of vegetables increased familiarity and eventually consumption by children, as described in a recent study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. The team of researchers studied 32 families with children between the ages of four and six who consumed vegetables in small quantities. They were asked to take an online survey and attend an information session before the start of the experiment. For the research, three groups were created. In the first group, children were served a single vegetable; in the second group children were offered multiple vegetables; and lastly in the third group, no change in eating habits was introduced. The research was conducted for five weeks with a three-month follow-up program. It was observed that the group that consumed multiple vegetables showed a better response with an increase in consumption from .6 to 1.2 servings. No change in consumption was observed in participants who were offered a single vegetable or whose eating habits were not changed. 

A report released this week by Massachusetts Auditor Suzanne Bump shows that families in the state face challenges such as transportation, language, immigration issues and a lack of outreach efforts to obtaining WIC assistance. The audit found that transportation was an issue particularly for rural WIC participants where there might be a significant distance to a WIC office, and a lack of public transportation options. Other concerns included materials provided during appointments not being available in necessary languages, and fears or misunderstandings around the eligibility of immigrant families for WIC, particularly in regards to the recent expansion to the "public charge" rule. While the report is Massachusetts-specific, barriers to WIC participation and retention are always worth examining. 

A recent report from the CA Budget & Policy Center identifies the current and future impacts of the public charge rule, which goes into effect Oct. 15, on California poverty rates and economy. Additional threats and impacts resulted from travel restrictions and more public charge rule changes are under consideration. It is clear that dis-enrollment from benefits is already negatively impacting families' and individuals' ability to thrive and move to economic security. We can expect health care costs and health outcomes to also be effected when care is not provided.