A randomized trial involving 351 pregnant WIC participants found that digital health interventions designed to promote healthy gestational weight gain had no impact on food benefit redemption rates, which remained at approximately 50% across both intervention and control groups. The study examined whether multicomponent eHealth behavioral tools could improve utilization of nutrition assistance among low-income pregnant women, but electronic benefit transfer data revealed no meaningful differences between groups.
This null finding highlights a persistent challenge in nutrition assistance programs: the gap between benefit availability and actual utilization. Previous research has identified barriers including transportation, store accessibility, stigma, and administrative complexity as factors limiting WIC redemption. The 50% redemption rate observed here aligns with historical patterns, suggesting that technological solutions alone may be insufficient to address structural barriers. The failure of digital interventions to move the needle raises questions about whether app-based approaches can meaningfully impact food security without addressing underlying socioeconomic constraints. Future interventions may need to combine digital tools with concrete support for transportation, childcare, or store access to achieve better outcomes for vulnerable populations.