US Nutrition Program for Poor Needs Changes: Panel Report

US nutrition program for poor needs changes: panel report

WASHINGTON, April 27 (Xinhua) — A government nutrition program for poor women and children needs to take changes in line with the current science of nutrition, suggested a panel report released on Wednesday.

The report by the Institute of Medicine proposed more whole grains, fruits and vegetables in federal diet aid to about 8 million people, who yearly benefit from the program of WIC — the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.

The recommendations, which also encourage breast feeding and reduction of the volume of eggs, cheese and milk, display a better knowledge about the links between nutrition and chronic diseases and an alertness to an obesity epidemic in the United States, the report said.

The WIC, which covers about half of all infants in the country, has hardly changed since it was launched in 1974. It provides pregnant women, new mothers and their young children with food packages as well as vouchers for buying specified food.

The institute panel managed to keep the total food cost within the average of 35 US dollars monthly for each participant, while expanding the selection of foods for people of different cultures and tastes. For example, it offered yogurt, tofu or soy to replace milk.

The panel also proposed to provide vouchers of 8 dollars for children, and 10 dollars for women per month to buy fresh produce in exchange of reducing by more than half the monthly juice allowances.

The diet aid recommendations are based on a study by the panel that was funded by the Department of Agriculture. The department has 18 months from the release of the panel report to revise the WIC’s food packages under a bill last year signed by President George W. Bush.