Final WIC rule disappoints dairy, sugar groups

“Two dairy groups and the Sugar Association expressed disappointment when the US Department of Agriculture on April 9 issued its final rule on changes to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). The Sugar Association, Washington, cautioned that added sugars limited on individual products could reduce access to nutrient-dense foods associated with better overall diet quality.

“The Sugar Association supports the DGA (Dietary Guidelines for Americans) recommendation to limit added sugars to 10% of total calories in a total dietary pattern,” said Courtney Gaine, PhD, president of the Sugar Association. “However, added sugars limits on individual foods are not consistent with that approach and contradict scientific evidence showing that grains and flavored dairy sweetened with sugar are not associated with adiposity and, in fact, are associated with improved nutrient adequacy.”

A focus on added sugars consumption alone has failed to address obesity in the United States, according to the association, which pointed out that added sugar consumption has decreased by 18% since 1999 while obesity increased by 44% in children and 37% in adults over the same time.”

Read the full article here: https://www.bakingbusiness.com/articles/61292-final-wic-rule-disappoints-dairy-sugar-groups