WIC's Promotion of Infant Formula in the United States

Overview

Journal Int Breastfeed J

Publisher Biomed Central

Date 2006 May 26

PMID 16722534

Citations 16

Authors

George Kent

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: The United States' Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) distributes about half the infant formula used in the United States at no cost to the families. This is a matter of concern because it is known that feeding with infant formula results in worse health outcomes for infants than breastfeeding.

Discussion: The evidence that is available indicates that the WIC program has the effect of promoting the use of infant formula, thus placing infants at higher risk. Moreover, the program violates the widely accepted principles that have been set out in the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and in the human right to adequate food.

Summary: There is no good reason for an agency of government to distribute large quantities of free infant formula. It is recommended that the large-scale distribution of free infant formula by the WIC program should be phased out.

Citing Articles

A Quasi-Experimental Assessment of the Effect of the 2009 WIC Food Package Revisions on Breastfeeding Outcomes.

Kogan K, Anand P, Gallo S, Cuellar A Nutrients. 2023; 15(2).

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Racial capitalism and the US formula shortage: A policy analysis of the formula industry as a neocolonial system.

Tomori C, Palmquist A Front Sociol. 2022; 7:961200.

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Globalization, first-foods systems transformations and corporate power: a synthesis of literature and data on the market and political practices of the transnational baby food industry.

Baker P, Russ K, Kang M, Santos T, Neves P, Smith J Global Health. 2021; 17(1):58.

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The role of prenatal food insecurity on breastfeeding behaviors: findings from the United States pregnancy risk assessment monitoring system.

Dinour L, Rivera Rodas E, Amutah-Onukagha N, Doamekpor L Int Breastfeed J. 2020; 15(1):30.

PMID: 32306985 PMC: 7169030. DOI: 10.1186/s13006-020-00276-x.

Sociodemographic predictors of exclusive breast-feeding among low-income women attending a Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) programme.

Rethy J, Gallo S, Channell Doig A, Brady J, Goodfriend D Public Health Nutr. 2019; 22(9):1667-1674.

PMID: 30803466 PMC: 10260866. DOI: 10.1017/S1368980019000119.

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