Why Do We Need WIC Nutrition Services?

WIC provides nutrition education to help participants and their families learn how to choose nutritious foods to improve health.

WIC nutrition services are important!

• WIC monitors height, weight and blood iron to make sure infants and children grow and develop normally and pregnant women deliver healthy babies.
• Nutrition staff meets with each WIC participant individually to assess their diet, identify nutritional needs, provide individualized counseling to address those needs, and help the participant set a goal to improve their nutritional status.
• Participants receive nutritious foods tailored to supplement their dietary needs.
• The foods are chosen to provide nutrients that have been scientifically shown to be needed by the WIC population.
• WIC encourages and supports breastfeeding. If a woman chooses not to breastfeed, then iron-fortified formula is provided as the best alternate source of essential nutrients for her infant.
• Good nutrition helps to protect the whole family against health problems.
• WIC helps the community by building strong, healthy families.
• Nutrition counseling helps parents to make healthy choices about food and life style.