A comprehensive study spanning nearly a decade and involving over 11 million mothers has found that babies born to mothers utilizing WIC (the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) are 33% less likely to die during their first year. This finding is particularly poignant amid ongoing debates regarding government assistance programs, especially as recent cuts to SNAP benefits have left many Americans vulnerable.
Published in the Journal of American Medicine, the research tracked women who gave birth between 2011 and 2017, comparing those who received WIC assistance with those who did not. WIC provides vital food vouchers that include nutritious items high in protein and iron, such as dairy products. The results are striking: infants of mothers enrolled in WIC had a significantly lower risk of mortality in their first year than those whose mothers were not part of the program.
Dr. Alex Thompson, a public health expert at the University of California, emphasized the importance of these findings. “The data clearly indicates that WIC is effective,” he remarked. However, he cautioned that safety net programs like WIC often face rigorous scrutiny, questioning their overall benefit in the current socio-political climate.
Despite boasting one of the world’s largest economies, the U.S. suffers from an alarmingly high infant mortality rate, which surpasses that of many developing nations. WIC is designed to assist low-income women deemed “nutritionally at risk.” It offers federal funding to states for nutritious food, healthcare referrals, and nutrition education for pregnant and postpartum women, as well as infants and young children up to five years old. Currently, over 6 million individuals, including more than 3 million children and around 1 million infants, benefit from the program monthly.
While SNAP is under intense scrutiny, support for WIC remains strong and bipartisan. Sarah Collins, a policy analyst at the National Institute for Public Policy, noted that the findings resonate positively with public perception of WIC. “This study reinforces the idea that WIC is a valuable program, effectively channeling public funds toward nutritious food, unlike some SNAP purchases that may not be as healthy,” she stated.
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In summary, the study underscores the critical role that WIC plays in safeguarding the health of infants, demonstrating the program’s effectiveness amidst broader discussions about government welfare initiatives.
Keyphrase: WIC and infant mortality
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