I recently came across a very interesting article entitled "USDA Revises Food Program for Women and Children" under Yahoo News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/
20071206/pl_nm/food_nutrition_usda_dc_4). The article describes the Women, Infants and Children food program (WIC) which "supplements the diet of 8.5 million low-income pregnant women, new mothers and young children annually." WIC has not undergone any changes since its establishment in 1972. However, due to a new review in August 2006, the list of foods that can be purchased with WIC vouchers has been changed to include fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Due to the obesity epidemic in America, WIC agencies wanted to curtail foods with high levels of saturated fats and cholesterol and add foods with more fiber and nutrition. "This does not change the value of benefits, about $39 a month, to qualified low-income pregnant women, and children up to the age of 5 who are at nutritional risk."
Interestingly enough, recipients of the program are allowed to make substitutions if their cultural practices require so. For example, a woman can trade her whole wheat bread voucher for soft corn tortillas. "The revised WIC program also provides incentives for women to continue breast-feeding by providing less formula to partially breast-fed infants" and by giving fully breast-feeding mothers $2 more in fruit and vegetable vouchers. The article closed with an unfortunate comment that up to half a million people could be denied WIC vouchers next year because of rising food prices.
I thought this article was relevant to several of our class discussions. First, according to the article "Poverty fuels medical crisis," poor Americans are suffering from preventable diseases partly because they do not have access to health care and because they can only afford to buy poorer quality, processed food. Second, the idea that obesity is due to laziness when in fact there are people who are overweight because they can not afford healthier foods.
As a side note, I was extremely shocked by the value of the WIC vouchers. $39 a month is not a lot at all for a grown woman let alone a growing child. I am a confused as to how $39 includes fresh produce and more whole grains.
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3 comments:
That article definitely greatly relates to a number of the articles that we read in class and other issues that we've discussed. There's no way that $39 a month is enough to feed a mother and her child a healthy diet. That stat reminded me of when we looked at what exactly was considered "living in poverty" along with the value of minimum wage. The cutoff for what the government impoverished is ridiculous. There's no way that a lot of the people living above the poverty line would be able to survive on the amount of money they would earn by working a minimum wage job. While I think it's great that they're trying to rework the Women, Infants and Children food program it sounds like a lot more work needs to be done. The fact that it hasn't changed at all since it was created in the 70s says a lot. Our society has changed so much, the cost of living alone, and to have a program that doesn't take that into account doesn't really work. Yet, the WIC can only give so much money with the amount of funding that they have.
I agree with the both of you. I think this program is a step in the right direction. Impoverished people have less access to good health care and less means of meeting their needs. This program is great in that it provides some sort of stipend so that these women and children receive some food. However, ya'll make a good point in saying that $39 really is not enough, especially when fresh produce is now being included. Healthier foods do cost more, and it's great that they have been added to the list while unhealthy foods have been removed, but the program is disregarding this price difference by not changing the allowance. It is also really sad that many people in need of this program could be denied access due to funds. It is great that these programs exist, but to be unable to account for all those that truly need the help is saddening. Half a million people is a huge number to be left without food in this country. This problem is under recognized, because we all turn our heads to it. We know that we are the most developed nation, and yet we still have people starving and in need of nutrition. The WIC program is a step, but it must be better planned. I have no suggestions for a solution, but something needs to change. Emorycmh brought up a good point in that their is obviously a problem when the program hasn't changed in 35 years. Society has changed and grown, and for the program to not grow and change with it is a serious issue.
As I write this comment, I am looking at my Kroger receipt for my most recent grocery shopping adventure. I spent significantly more than $39.00 (and I am on a meal plan). So basically, my junk food habit costs more a month than the total nutrition budget for a pregnant woman or a growing child. Isn’t anyone outraged? So thank you to the Women, Infants, and Children Food Program- thank you to sentencing impoverished pregnant women and children to certain starvation.
Okay that was a little harsh, I will admit. However, I would just like to point out that the efforts of the WIC are relatively fruitless. It is admirable that the program is trying to restructure to provide whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to its members. However, it would be more admirable to restructure their program to avoid the deaths caused by starvation to pregnant women and children. This is especially true, as has already been noted in earlier comments, because the $39 budget is not being altered with the changes to healthier foods which will be more expensive than the previous less healthy foods.
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