SPA 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 TOTAL
Child visits to park or playground to play
3 times/week or more 32.3% 34.6% 36.0% 35.0% 35.4% 27.6% 37.7% 35.5% 34.0% 1-2 times/week 50.3% 53.2% 50.4% 53.6% 46.3% 56.5% 45.4% 52.4% 52.0% Never visit park 16.9% 12.1% 12.8% 10.8% 3.7% 14.8% 16.2% 11.1% 13.4% or playground Stability of Housing Percentage who 15.6% 12.6% 10.6% 8.8% 8.5% 10.8% 10.6% 9.0% 10.8% report living in 3 or more different places in 3 years Neighborhood Ties
Percentage with strong 13.1% 11.7% 13.6% 9.8% 7.3% 9.9% 12.7% 11.4% 11.4% neighborhood ties
Overall, 37.2% of all children watch 2 or more hours of TV daily. Over half of children age 2 or older watch TV for 2 or more hours each day; 41% of children younger than age 2 watch any TV.
Note: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends no TV for children less than 2 years and no more than 2 hours per day for children 2 or older. (See citation on p. 41.)
Source: WIC Survey (2008)
Source: WIC Survey (2008)
Most children (upward of 80%) visit a park or playground at least once per week, however, percentages of children who never visit a park or playground were highest in SPA 1 (16.9%), SPA 7 (16.2%), and SPA 6 (14.8%).
The percentage of those reporting frequent moves—living in 3 or more different places in past 3 years—was highest in SPA 1 (15.6%) and SPA 2 (12.6%).
The findings presented in this report were selected to provide a breadth of information available from the WIC Program about families with young children in Los Angeles County. The authors of the report are grateful to the many individuals and organizations that support the WIC Research Partnership. Please refer to the Acknowledgements section (p. 48) for publication credits and additional information.
Selected WIC Administrative Data are available for specific geographic areas on www.healthycity.org. A User’s Guide is provided in the Appendix (page 42) to assist the reader in obtaining such information. In addition, readers will find a map of LA County showing SPAs and major cities on p. 46, as well as an index of figures and tables on p. 47.
The following resources, including citations in this report, may be of interest to those seeking further information about selected topics covered:
Feeding and Nutrition:
Breastfeeding Practices of WIC Participants
http://www.phfewic.org/DataMining/files/First5WICBFWeb.pdf Breastfeeding Practices (Los Angeles County)
http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/wwwfiles/ph/hae/ha/lahealthbrstfd_0304.pdf Preventing Childhood Overweight
http://www.phfewic.org/DataMining/files/PreventingOverweight.pdf Childhood Obesity: Tipping the Balance toward Healthy, Active Children
http://www.lapublichealth.org/ha/docs/LA_HEALTH_BREIFS_2008/Childhood_Obesity_final.pdf Food Insecurity increasing in Los Angeles County
http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/wwwfiles/ph/hae/ha/Food_Insecurity.pdf For multiple reports on breastfeeding, obesity and WIC
http://www.calwic.org/reports.aspx
Health of Women and Children:
Preconception Health in Los Angeles County
http://www.lapublichealth.org/ha/reports/habriefs/2007/Preconception_Final_sec.pdf Los Angeles County Perinatal indicator Fact Sheet
http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/mch/rep/LACPerinatalIndicatorFactsheet.pdf The State of Health Insurance Coverage in California:
http://www.healthpolicy.ucla.edu/pubs/Publication.aspx?pubID=374 Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Dental care for Publicly Insured Children http://www.healthpolicy.ucla.edu/pubs/Publication.aspx?pubID=415 Unaffordable Dental Care is Linked to Frequent School Absences
cgi/content/full/121/1/e118.
Developmental problems (parent concern, screening and early identification):
Identifying Infants and Young Children with Developmental Disorders in the Medical Home: An algorithm for Developmental Surveillance and Screening. Council on Children with Disabilities, Section on Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, Bright Futures Steering Committee and Medical Home Initiatives for Children With Special Needs Project Advisory Committee. Pediatrics 2006; 118;405-420.
Maternal Depressive Symptoms and their Effect on Parenting http://www.first5la.org/files/F509_MaternalDepression_fnl.pdf
Early Care and Education:
Latino Children Showing Higher Rates of Preschool Enrollment
http://www.first5la.org/files/F509_Preschool_Facts_r6%20%282%29.pdf The Effects of Universal Preschool in California. Estimates for LA County. http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9164.1/
Childcare and Preschool Access and Utilization among WIC Participants in LA County http://www.first5la.org/files/F509_ChildCare_fnl.pdf
Home and Community Environments:
Parenting Practices that Shape the Lives of Young Children
http://www.lapublichealth.org/ha/reports/habriefs/LADHSParentingFinal.pdf How a Belonging Community Nurtures Families and Children
http://www.metamorph.org/images/uploads/MetaBrchr11.4_R5_OP_HR_.pdf
Children, Adolescents, and Advertising. Committee on Communications. Pediatrics 2006; 118; 2563-2569. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/118/6/2563
For more information about WIC:
The California WIC Program:
http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/wicworks/
The National WIC Program - USDA Food and Nutrition Services: http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/aboutwic/
The California WIC Association: http://www.calwic.org
The National WIC Association: http://www.nwica.org
LOS ANGELES PALMDALE MALIBU LANCASTER LONG BEACH GLENDALE POMONA PASADENA BURBANK SANTA CLARITA CARSON TORRANCE GLENDORA WHITTIER AZUSA SAN DIMAS DOWNEY MONROVIA ARCADIA WEST COVINA CALABASAS CLAREMONT COMPTON WALNUT DIAMOND BAR COVINA NORWALK EL MONTE
RANCHO PALOS VERDES SANTA MONICA LA VERNE CERRITOS DUARTE LAKEWOOD LA MIRADA INGLEWOOD ALHAMBRA PICO RIVERA CITY OF INDUSTRY VERNON GARDENA SOUTH GATE REDONDO BEACH AGOURA HILLS BELL EL SEGUNDO MONTEREY PARK CULVER CITY BEVERLY HILLS LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE
PALOS VERDES ESTATES
LA HABRA HEIGHTS WESTLAKE VILLAGE SIGNAL HILL SAN FERNANDO HIDDEN HILLS SEAL BEACH SIMI VALLEY CHINO HILLS S P A 1 S P A 1 S P A 2 S P A 2 S P A 3 S P A 3 S P A 8 S P A 8 S P A 5 S P A 5 S P A 7 S P A 7 S P A 4 S P A 4 S P A 6 S P A 6