Bill Overview
Title: INFANT Act
Description: INFANT Act This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to allow infant food combinations and dinners to be served under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
Sponsors: Rep. Peltola, Mary Sattler [D-AK-At Large]
Target Audience
Population: Infants benefiting from WIC nutrition programs
Estimated Size: 1900000
- WIC is a program that provides nutritional assistance to low-income pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and infants and children up to age five who are at nutritional risk.
- The bill expands the types of infant foods that can be included under WIC, allowing combinations and dinners, which could potentially benefit a larger number of infants by providing more varied nutrition.
- As of recent data, there are approximately 140 million births per year globally, meaning there is a substantial number of infants worldwide who could benefit from such nutrition programs, although not all are at nutritional risk or eligible for programs like WIC.
- The direct global impact is on infants who are part of similar nutritional programs outside the U.S., as the emphasis is on improving nutritional diversity through WIC-like programs.
Reasoning
- The INFANT Act aims to enhance the nutritional options available to infants through the WIC program, thereby improving the dietary diversity among infants who are most at risk for nutritional deficiencies.
- The policy has a defined budget which may limit the extent to which it can cover the entire eligible population under WIC, but it is expected to at least provide some level of improvement in nutritional diversity for a significant portion of eligible infants.
- The policy is most impactful on low-income families with infants, particularly those who rely heavily on WIC for their nutritional needs. Hence, the interviews explore both impacted families and those outside the program to provide a balanced perspective.
Simulated Interviews
Cashier (Detroit, MI)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The new food options will really help me ensure my baby gets varied nutrition.
- Having more dinner options under WIC is a blessing as it saves money and time.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Social Worker (New York, NY)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am hopeful that this policy will reduce malnutrition among the infants I work with.
- It should help address some of the barriers to nutritious food access for families on WIC.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Stay-at-home dad (Seattle, WA)
Age: 43 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We are on a tight budget, so any expansion in food choices is welcome.
- I appreciate having more options for healthy meals for my twins.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Freelance Writer (Dallas, TX)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's great for families who need it, although it doesn't apply to us.
- More options for nutrition is always a good thing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Nutritionist (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is a step in the right direction, particularly for addressing early childhood nutrition gaps.
- The success will depend on implementation and whether the options are actually healthy and diverse.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Elementary School Teacher (Jackson, MS)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this helps some of the kids in our community who rely on WIC.
- Nutritional deficits really affect learning and behavior, so more options are always good.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Chef (Chicago, IL)
Age: 37 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I support any initiative that gives kids more access to good food.
- It won't affect us directly, but it's a step forward.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
HR Manager (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The bill will help me provide better meals for my baby without compromising our budget.
- It's still a struggle, but any help is good help.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Community Health Worker (Miami, FL)
Age: 53 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think more food diversity in WIC can lead to better health outcomes.
- However, I worry about whether funding will meet the demand.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Stay-at-home mom (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 31 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm excited about more dinner options for my baby.
- WIC is crucial for us, and these additions will really matter.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $30000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $40000000)
Year 2: $31000000 (Low: $26000000, High: $42000000)
Year 3: $32000000 (Low: $27000000, High: $44000000)
Year 5: $34000000 (Low: $28000000, High: $46000000)
Year 10: $37000000 (Low: $31000000, High: $50000000)
Year 100: $49000000 (Low: $41000000, High: $65000000)
Key Considerations
- WIC's current cost structure and budget constraints.
- Potential variations in infant food market costs affecting policy expenses.
- The administrative burden of changing approved food lists under WIC.
- Health outcome improvements potentially leading to future cost savings in healthcare.