Changes to WIC food packages

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When it comes to community nutrition, WIC is definitely an interest of mine and I try to stay up to date with the new food package updates and implications. This article discusses the new guidelines put into effect in 2009 regarding a mother’s infant feeding decision:

- Increase in the amount and variety of food benefits for fully breastfeeding woman and infants receiving no formula with the increase occurring immediately postpartum or at 6 months of age for infants
-For those receiving formula, calibration of infant formula amounts to the age of the infant
-No issuance of formula to postpartum breastfeeding mothers for 30 days

In 2012, the implications of these 2009 package updates were studied at a health department in Southern California. The most significant finding was that there was an 86% increase in issuance rate of “fully breastfeeding” packages! Interestingly, prior to 2009 studies showed women enrolled in the WIC program were less likely to breastfeed than nonparticipants, so clearly these new government regulations had a positive impact! Numerous studies have shown a 20-50% lower risk of becoming overweight or obese in children that are breastfed depending on duration and degree of supplementation. In addition to simply making food package changes in Southern California, WIC staff attended seminars six months prior to develop a Breastfeeding Assessment Interview Tool to be used with all breastfeeding mothers, education to inform pregnant women of impending food package changes, and education on helping mothers see incentives to breastfeeding and importance of making infant feeding decisions early. Those of lower socioeconomic status are at higher risk of becoming overweight or obese, and by simply focusing on one public policy initiative (breast feeding promotion) this study shows that risk can drastically be reduced. Interestingly, 84% of infants enrolled in this Southern California WIC program are Hispanic. It would be interesting to conduct a similar study in a different geographic location with a higher Caucasian population to compare/contrast results. Also it would be interesting to assess cultural beliefs pertaining to breastfeeding.

http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=6&sid=c2f58665-c72b-43db-904a-23c8c48e151c%40sessionmgr15&hid=25

Whaley S, Koleilat M, Whaley M. Impact of policy changes on infant feeding decisions among low-income women participating in the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children. American Journal Of Public Health . 2012;102(12):2269-2273. 

E. Kintner

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