ABSTRACT
Chapter 3 showed that WIC was one of the fastest growing federal welfare programs. Its popularity rests on evaluations of the program that find reductions in infant mortality, rates of low birthweight, and Medicaid costs, and improvements in birthweight, gestational age, and cognitive achievement. WIC is one of the most directly targeted and interventionist of federal welfare programs. Eligibility is often determined by medical examinations and blood tests, and nutritional counselling is required. In addition, the types and even the brands of foods that can be purchased are strictly controlled. Hence, comparisons of WIC with programs such as AFDC raise one of the fundamental questions of welfare reform: can the government trust parents to use income transfers in the way that is best for their children, or must the government assume a more paternalistic role in order to ensure that children benefit? School nutrition programs have not captured the public’s attention in the way that WIC has although these programs currently affect many more children.
