As a mother, a registered dietitian, and someone with experience implementing our federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in Newport, I wholeheartedly support some of the recently announced proposed changes to the WIC food allotments. In particular, giving families greater access to vegetables, whole grains, and fruits will improve the health status of women and children, and, ultimately, help address diet-related diseases that often plague the very families WIC supports.
Until Feb. 21, anyone concerned about the women and children served by this program can comment in support of these proposed changes.
Backed by the latest research, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to make permanent changes implemented temporarily as a part of the American Rescue Plan, or the COVID-19 stimulus package. The changes significantly increase the amount and variety of fruits and vegetables; expand whole grain options to include foods like quinoa, teff, wild rice, millet, corn meal, and whole-wheat naan; and add more nondairy substitution options for cow’s milk, such as soy-based cheese and oat milk yogurt.
These changes address comments and complaints I heard almost every day as a nutrition counselor responsible for women and children served by the East Bay Community Action Program WIC in Newport, from January through March of 2020, just before the pandemic shutdown.
Mothers often told me that they want healthier food options for their children and themselves, that they need greater access to foods free of common dairy and wheat allergens, and that they would like access to foods that better meet their cultural and personal preferences. The proposed changes will respond to all of these needs.
How can I say with such confidence that these changes will improve the health of those who use WIC benefits? Because the last time WIC increased the amount and variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, an improvement in the health status of benefit recipients followed.
A 2017 study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine looked at what happened when WIC was revised in 2009 to include foods such as whole-grain breads and cereals and fruits and vegetables.There were significant decreases in purchases of calories, sodium, and total fat, and increases in purchases of fruits and vegetables with no added sugar, fats, or salt. Childhood obesity also declined for WIC participants after these changes were made, according to a study in JAMA Pediatrics.
This is particularly important for the low-income families served by the WIC program, because they suffer disproportionately from diet-related illness and disease. The documented health benefits of consuming a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and fresh fruits helps prevent and even reverse diabetes, high blood pressure, and other diet-related diseases.
And research now shows a particular benefit of plant-based diets to children and young adults. At a time when a record number of young people are experiencing a sense of hopelessness, a healthful diet is more important than ever. Increased fruit and vegetable intake improves psychological well-being in young adults who reported depressive symptoms, anxiety, and other similar outcomes, according to a study published in PLoS One, a peer-reviewed science and medicine research journal.
Earlier this year, researchers found that eating more fruits and vegetables improves attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in children. The study published online in Nutritional Neuroscience showed that children who ate more fruits and vegetables had less severe symptoms of inattention from ADHD than children who ate more foods higher in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.Children who are raised on healthful plant-based diets have a reduced risk for heart disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes, and other conditions. These adolescents often find they have an easy time maintaining a healthy weight and have fewer problems with acne, allergies, and gastrointestinal problems than their peers who eat animal products.
At the East Bay Community Action Program, I provided nutrition guidance to new mothers and pregnant women; checked weights and heights of infants and children for trends and comparison based on national averages; and checked children’s hemoglobin for iron deficiency. My colleagues and I counseled mothers about the WIC benefits and healthy eating, and how to use the USDA food guide.
The changes proposed by the USDA would have made these discussions about eating well easier, and I am hopeful that the proposed rule changes will be approved and implemented quickly. And that many others will comment in support of empowering WIC participants with greater access to vegetables, whole grains, and fruits.
Stephanie McBurnett is a registered dietitian nutritionist who graduated from the U.S Naval Academy and spent more than five years as a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy. She is the nutrition educator at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
