Milkin' It: Formula Industry Bilks Low-Income Program

It may seem like a topic only a toddler could love: a battle over the cost and contents of infant formula. But a recent bill involving the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants, Children (WIC) exemplifies the food industry's aggressive lobbying and marketing tactics, which could leave the government footing an unnecessary $100 million bill while ensuring many low-income families stay hungry.

At case is a provision in the pending reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act, set to expire September 30th.  WIC, which provides formula and healthy food vouchers to low-income mothers with small children, is part of the Act. As reported on The Hill, the Senate passed a version of the Act in August, but it didn't include a very important measure: establishing a science-based process for assesing whether WIC should offer foods that contain functional ingredients.

You've no doubt seen the names of these functional ingredients splashed across the front of food packages: probiotics, DHA, lycopene, omega-3s and other intriguing-sounding additives. Included in yogurt, eggs, cereals, and other products, they are also becoming ubiquitous in infant formula. But their addition isn't necessarily a good thing. Not only does the formula with additives cost more, it is also touted as providing nutritional and health benefits, without much science to support the claims. Enfamil's proprietary ingredient LIPIL, for instance, contains DHA and ARA designed to "support baby's brain and eye development." Their Dual Prebiotics suggest it will "support babies' own defenses."

For WIC, increased expenditure on additive-laden foods means fewer women are able to enroll in the program -- the more money it spends on food, the fewer number of enrollees. According to the Economic Research Service, part of the USDA, functional ingredients in infant formula cost WIC up to $90 million a year. Yet there is no scientific consensus showing that the added ingredients impart any health benefits.

As the largest purchaser of formula in the country, the WIC decision has  huge potential impact for the formula makers. They're lobbying hard to keep their functional ingredients away from scrutiny, lest they be challenged to prove their efficacy and lower their costs. Currently, the FDA has to ensure that the additives are safe, but not effective. Unchecked, there's no reason not to make grand health claims about the products.

At issue also is the idea that formula can somehow reach the nutritional prowess of breast milk -- though experts all agree "breast is best," many of the formula makers make claims the products are just as good as breast milk or can match its nutritional make-up. As public health experts and nutritionists make strides to increase the percentage of women exclusively breastfeeding, the formula makers give away product to new moms and heavily market their ever-improving elixir.

For those following the debate, it's more than just crying over spilled milk. As Laurie Trus, Executive Director of the California WIC Association writes, "the story of WIC and functional ingredients could turn out to be yet another well-known Washington narrative -- powerful, wealthy corporations fighting straightforward, evidence-based policymaking."

Photo credit: nerissa's ring