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News Alert Archives
National Dairy Council Statement
United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Proposed Rule on Revisions to the Women, Infants and Children’s (WIC) Supplemental Food Packages
Rosemont, Ill., August 7, 2006 – The National Dairy Council® (NDC) expresses concern over the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Proposed Rule on Revisions to the Women, Infants and Children’s (WIC) supplemental food packages. The proposed rule limits the options for milk substitution within the dairy group, which is not consistent with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations for dairy foods, and may make it difficult for women and children to meet their nutrient needs.
A 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report stated the milk group is a major contributor of dietary calcium, and a substantial contributor of vitamin A, potassium and magnesium. The Dietary Guidelines state that milk alternatives within the milk food group, such as yogurt and lactose-free milk, are the easiest and most reliable way for those sensitive to lactose to derive the health benefits associated with milk and milk products.
In contrast, the proposed rule does not allow yogurt as a milk substitution, although a 2004 Institute of Medicine report, “WIC Food Packages: Time for a Change,” recommends allowing yogurt.
The proposed rule also decreases the amount of cheese allowed for substitution of milk. At the same time, the proposed rule allows women and some children to substitute tofu or fortified soy-based beverages for milk; however, only soy beverages fortified to resemble the nutrient package in milk would be allowed.
For children, USDA acknowledges that dairy is a superior nutrient source for bone health, and does not allow most children to substitute soy-based beverages for milk. A comparison of the nutrients in tofu and milk would suggest that tofu cannot adequately replace all the dairy nutrients. Yogurt and cheese are often well-accepted by those sensitive to lactose, and also appeal to varied cultural food preferences.
Availability of a variety of dairy options would more fully bring the WIC package into agreement with the Dietary Guidelines, while also responding to calls for foods that meet cultural preferences.
Both the Dietary Guidelines and the WIC program recognize the importance of dairy foods in healthy diets, which supply a unique package of nutrients, including calcium, potassium and magnesium which are lacking in the diets of many Americans including WIC participants. While the WIC food packages in the proposed rule provide the age-appropriate number of servings recommended by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for most groups, that amount is a reduction in dairy from the current WIC packages, which provide up to four servings per day.
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines and MyPyramid set up a foundation for a healthy diet by recommending Americans choose three servings of low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products each day. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines recognize that people who consume more dairy foods have better overall diets, consume more nutrients and have improved bone health.
NDC will provide comments to USDA that reiterate the role of dairy foods in meeting daily nutritional requirements during the 90-day public comment period. NDC will rely on well-established nutrition science which supports that increasing the availability of dairy options will help the WIC population better meet their dietary needs.
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