USU Researchers Tackle Military Food Insecurity by Boosting WIC Engagement
A team from the Uniformed Services University is developing new tools and outreach methods to connect military families with vital nutrition assistance.
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Dr. Binny Chokshi and Ms. Dakota Davis at the Uniformed Services University are leading efforts to address food insecurity in the U.S. military (Photo credit: Photo by Mississippi National Guard Staff Sgt. Veronica McNabb, 102d Public Affairs Detachment) |
June 17, 2025 by Zachary Willis
Researchers at the Uniformed Services University (USU) are leading efforts to address food insecurity in the U.S. military—an issue that affects many service members and their families. Focusing on the underutilization of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the USU team is developing innovative strategies to improve access to vital nutritional support. This work aligns with broader Department of Defense initiatives aimed at tackling food insecurity, which has serious implications for military readiness, retention, and recruitment.
Spearheading the research at USU are Dr. Binny Chokshi, associate professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Military Child and Family Research and Ms. Dakota Davis, Community Health Worker in USU’s Department of Pediatrics, who are investigating the barriers that prevent military families from accessing federal programs like WIC. “We wanted to explore barriers to enrollment and engagement in the WIC program as well as experiences utilizing the program,” said Chokshi. “WIC enrollment has demonstrated health benefits for women and children who participate, including a lower risk of infant mortality and preterm birth, a lower risk of obesity, and reduced food insecurity, but this program is underutilized”.
WIC was established in 1972 as a pilot program and became permanent in 1974 under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Designed to safeguard the health of low-income pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five who are at nutritional risk, WIC provides supplemental nutritious foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health care and social services. The program was created in response to growing evidence of widespread nutritional deficiencies among vulnerable populations and has since become a cornerstone of public health efforts to improve maternal and child outcomes across the United States.
A key innovation from their research is the Military-Specific WIC Screening tool, an easy-to-use spreadsheet developed by Capt. (Dr.) Sidney Zven, USU class of 2020 and a neonatology fellow at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC). A study published in the journal Military Medicine, "Evaluating WIC Engagement and Food Insecurity Among Active Duty Military Families," details the tool's use in a survey at WRNMMC's pediatric and obstetric outpatient clinics. The study, which utilized a 26-question survey and a novel WIC screening algorithm, found that out of 432 participants, 108 (25%) were eligible for WIC. Critically, the study highlighted a significant gap: of those eligible, only 38 (35.2%) were enrolled in the program. The odds of eligibility were higher for younger, lower-ranking service members.
To understand the reasons behind these low enrollment numbers, Chokshi and her team conducted focus groups with military-connected participants. This work, detailed in another Military Medicine publication titled "Military Family Perspectives on Enrollment and Engagement in the WIC Program," identified several key obstacles. The focus groups, involving 40 participants, revealed that a lack of program awareness, misinformation, and stigma were top barriers to WIC engagement. The study concluded that unique circumstances of military life create a profound need for food support programs like WIC.
Armed with these insights, the USU team launched a targeted intervention at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. At the Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, Davis conducts daily outreach to service members identified as likely WIC-eligible through an informatics-based approach. For those found eligible, she provides a direct referral to the appropriate WIC office. The results have been striking. Over 10 months, 76% of the service members screened (994) were eligible for WIC services, and 407 of them who were not enrolled received referrals. Recognizing the need for immediate assistance, Davis also established an emergency food response program in collaboration with a local nonprofit, providing discreet boxes of non-perishable meals and information on long-term community resources.
This vital work has gained national recognition, with presentations at the Military Health System Research Symposium and the Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting. It has also been acknowledged by multiple DoD and Defense Health Agency working groups and was featured on a Military OneSource podcast. The team's next goal is to standardize the use of the Military WIC Screening Tool. As recipients of the NCR Innovation Fellowship Program, Chokshi and Davis are developing an accessible website for military families to screen for WIC eligibility and find enrollment information, which will be piloted at WRNMMC and Blanchfield Army Community Hospital.
