Infant and young child feeding are a cornerstone of care for childhood development. World-wide about 30% of children under five are stunted as a consequence of poor feeding and repeated infections. Even in resource poor settings, improved feeding practices can lead to improved intakes of energy and nutrients, leading to better nutritional status.

Healthy dietary practices start early in life – breastfeeding may have longer-term benefits, like reducing the risk of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence.

WIC contributes to improved pregnancies and healthier children, resulting in better health and dramatic savings in medical care costs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture research has shown that participation in the WIC program significantly improves children’s intake of iron, folate, and vitamin B and that by participating in WIC, the entire family also improves on Healthy Eating Index scores for the household.

Nutrition and nurturing during the first years of life are both crucial for life-long health and well-being. In infancy, no gift is more precious than breastfeeding. Breast milk is a specialized food designed to meet the needs of infants;yet barely one in three infants is exclusively breastfed during the first six months of life.