The U.S. wants healthier children. So why is it scaling back its nutrition programs?

Chabeli Carrazana

Economy and Child Care Reporter

Published

Republish this story

Republish this story

When the Trump administration released its Make America Healthy Again report in May, it lifted up the Women, Infants and Children supplemental food program, known as WIC, as a shining example of how the government can get healthy eating right.

“WIC has a proven track record of improving children’s health,” the report said. Specifically, it noted that when WIC added a cash benefit for fruits and vegetables in 2009, research showed the change “may have helped reverse increasing childhood obesity rates.”

When the president’s budget came out a week later, it called for dramatically scaling back that very fruit and vegetable benefit.

The 19th thanks our sponsors. Become one .

Sha