US Department of Agriculture’s WIC program addresses nutrition gap in low-income communities

07 Oct 2022 --- WIC, a program for women, infants and children led by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), is aiming to close the nutrition gap by balancing food inequality with a focus on “communities of color.”

“As the White House outlined in its National Strategy, economic security and affordable access to nutritious foods is one of the most significant barriers to healthy eating patterns,” Brian Dittmeier, senior director of public policy at the National WIC Association (NAW), tells NutritionInsight.

“The National Strategy outlined other factors, including expanded access to nutrition counseling, building healthier retail environments to empower consumers to make healthier choices, and curbing targeted marketing by food manufacturers aimed at children and communities of color.”

In 2009, the organization issued a food package revision described as “transformational,” allowing millions of WIC families to purchase healthier foods like grains, fruits and vegetables. “WIC serves 2.9 million Hispanic and Latino participants, resulting in healthier diets in the communities,” the department notes.

Access to nutritious foodOne of the largest obstacles to eating a healthy diet is food accessibility, NAW stresses.
NAW offers food packages and individual nutritional counseling to participants to help people make healthier choices and “grow a healthier next generation.”

“Building healthier eating patterns requires a comprehensive effort, but one of the greatest barriers to healthy eating is affordable access to nutritious foods. Strengthening federal supports – especially nutritionally tailored federal supports like WIC and school meals – will help boost access to nutrient-dense, under-consumed foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains,” continues Dittmeier.

A recent study found that children’s diets in low-income families significantly improved when access to nutritious food was increased. When the parents or caregivers received vouchers, food packages or “comprehensive resources” to increase access to healthy foods, the food and snacking choices of the children followed a healthier pattern.

“WIC provides a healthy food benefit that delivers priority nutrients to participants, including the issuance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, legumes and peanut butter,” Dittmeier underscores.

“The USDA is expected to revise the food packages in the next few months, which could boost access to fruits, vegetables, seafood, and whole grains through increased investment, a greater variety of package sizes, and stronger nutrition standards.”

Investing in nutritionScience-based investments are in the spotlight to improve access to nutritious food.
According to Dittmeier, the USDA’s rulemaking provides a pathway to revise the WIC food package by “adjusting issuance across food categories and potentially expanding the overall value of the WIC benefit.”

The United Nations stressed that the COVID-19 pandemic worsened people’s access to nutritious food due to its economic impact.

“When the program was launched in 1974, the average food benefit was US$20 per month. Before the pandemic, it was only US$36 per month. WIC families have lost their purchasing power over time, even as new food groups were added to expand access to nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains,” says Dittmeier. 

“This is why the expanded fruit and vegetable benefits, introduced by the American Rescue Plan Act and extended in regular appropriations, is one of the most significant investments in nutrition security in recent years. The USDA estimated that this increase resulted in approximately US$850 million in additional benefits.” 

“We urge USDA not only to codify the expanded fruit and vegetable benefits but also to make further science-based investments in the WIC benefit to improve access to nutritious foods,” he concludes.

By Beatrice Wihlander