Transcript Slide 1

Congressional Briefing
More Healthy Choices for WIC
Moms & Kids Now!
Urge Final Rule by Spring 2007
National WIC Association
October 3, 2006
National WIC Association
• NWA represents the staff of 88 State
Agencies, 2,200 Local Agencies,
10,000 WIC Clinics and the nutrition
and health interests of WIC mothers
and children
WIC Participation
WIC Serves:
• 1 out of 2 infants born in the US
• 1 out of 4 children aged 1 through 4
• Over 8 million women, infants, and
children/month
What are the Benefits?
• Quality nutrition education and
services
• 7 monthly food packages
• Breastfeeding promotion and
education
• Access to maternal, prenatal, and
pediatric health-care & other social
services
Who’s Eligible?
• Pregnant or postpartum women,
infants, and children up to age 5
• Income level less than or equal to
185% of the poverty level – for a family
of four - $37,000
• Documented nutrition risk
• Documented state residency
Percent of Participants
Income of WIC Participants
30
• Average income is
$14,758
25
20
15
• 57 % of participants
live at or below the
poverty line
10
5
0
0%
1-50%
51100%
101150%
151185%
Over
185%
Percent Poverty Level
Graph is based on PC 2004 data.
Current WIC Food Packages
• Seven different food packages
• Include nutrients that were commonly
lacking in the diets of low-income
populations
• milk, eggs, cheese, peanut butter, dried
beans and peas, 100% vitamin C-rich juices,
iron-fortified cereals, tuna fish, and carrots,
Iron-fortified infant formula and infant cereal
Time for a Change
• Since WIC’s inception more than 30 years ago:
– Significant demographic changes
– New nutrition science emerged
– Obesity epidemic a major public health
concern
– Increased diet-related chronic diseases
– Observed changes in the dietary pattern and
food supply
NWA’s Proposed Changes
• Policy Paper 2000, “WIC Food Prescription
Recommendations”:
– Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and
fiber-rich foods
– Reduce the fat content of the overall food
packages and in specific food items
• Policy Paper 2003 “WIC Culturally Sensitive Food
Prescription Recommendations”:
– Include foods that address the diverse cultural
needs of WIC mothers and children
Science Based Change
• In 2003, IOM tasked by USDA to
review the WIC food packages
based on current scientific
information
• In 2005, IOM report proposed
significant changes to the WIC
food packages incorporating NWA
recommendations
USDA Proposed Rule
• USDA’s proposal to amend the WIC
Food Packages was published on
August 7
• The proposed changes largely reflect
recommendations made by IOM
USDA’s Proposed Changes
• Consistent with the Dietary Guidelines
for Americans 2005
– More fruits and vegetables!
Cash-value voucher: $8 for women &
$6 for children
Baby fruits & vegetables for infants 6
months and older
USDA’s Proposed Changes
• Emphasis on whole grains
– Addition of whole grain cereals, whole
grain bread and other whole grain
options (e.g., brown rice, soft corn or
whole wheat tortillas)
• Lower saturated fat and cholesterol
– Dairy products and eggs in more
appropriate quantities
USDA’s Proposed Changes
• Lower saturated fat and cholesterol
Reduce fat content of milk - no more than 2%
milk fat for women and children 2 years and
older
Reduce eggs - 2 dozen eggs for fully
breastfeeding women, 1 dozen eggs for
children and women
Reduce cheese - 1 pound of cheese for fully
breastfeeding women and 1 pound of cheese
as a milk substitute for children and Women
USDA’s Proposed Changes
• Appeal to Diverse Populations:
– Increase cultural acceptability by adding:
Calcium-set tofu, calcium-and vitaminD rich soy beverage (“soy milk”)
Different forms of beans and peas
(canned or dry)
Canned fish choices (i.e., light tuna,
salmon, and sardines)
USDA’s Proposed Changes
• Follow infant feeding guidelines of AAP:
– Reduce fruit juice for children ages 1-5 to
recommended quantities of 4 fl oz/day
– Eliminate juice for infants 6 months and
older providing fruits/vegetables instead
– Delay baby foods e.g., cereals, etc., until
after 6 months of age
USDA’s Proposed Changes
• Support and promote breastfeeding:
– Exclusively breastfeeding mother/infant
pairs receive greater quantities and wider
varieties of foods, for example:
Twice the amount of baby food fruits &
vegetables and baby food meats
More dairy products, eggs, and
legumes/peanut butter for BF moms
USDA’s Proposed Changes
• Improving Nutritional Content of WIC
Food Packages:
– Increases nearly all of the priority nutrients
– Reduces excessive nutrients, saturated fat
and cholesterol
USDA’s Proposed Changes
Implementation will:
• Supply a reliable source of supplemental
nutritious foods
• Provide tools to reinforce nutrition education
provided by WIC professionals
• Help WIC mothers and children establish
dietary patterns that promote life-long good
nutritional health
Timeline for the Proposed Rule
• The comment period ends Nov. 6
• The Department will need several
months (?) to review the comments
How Can You Help WIC Moms & Kids?
• Send a letter to USDA supporting the
proposed rule
• Refer to NWA model comments and
talking points on www.nwica.org
• Urge USDA to publish the final rule
spring 2007