Strengthening the child nutrition programs

Strengthening the child nutrition programs

Collection:
Health Policy and Services Research
Contributor(s):
Bipartisan Policy Center, issuing body.
Publication:
Washington, D.C. : Bipartisan Policy Center, January 2022
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
Food Assistance -- organization & administration
Child
Food Insecurity
United States
Genre(s):
Technical Report
Abstract:
Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR) provides Congress with an opportunity to reduce hunger and improve the diet and health of millions of children throughout the United States by strengthening the child nutrition programs. Federal nutrition programs authorized under CNR include the National School Lunch Program (NSLP); School Breakfast Program (SBP); Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP); Summer Food Service Program (SFSP); Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); Special Milk Program; Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP); and Farm to School program.2 The last CNR, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA), became law in 2010. Although some of its provisions expired in late 2015, most of the federal nutrition programs have continued to operate via annual appropriations legislation. Federal nutrition programs, including the child nutrition programs and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), serve one in four Americans. Total federal expenditures for the child nutrition programs reached $23.6 billion in fiscal year 2019 and $32.3 billion in FY2020, including $10.7 billion for the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer program (P-EBT). Food and nutrition security are vital to children’s long-term health and well-being. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food security as “access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life,” and food insecurity as “the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.” In 2020, food insecurity affected about one in 10 households. Certain populations were disproportionately impacted. From 2019 to 2020, the prevalence of food insecurity increased for households with Black, non-Hispanic members from 19.1% to 21.7%. Although school nutrition programs and other food assistance programs often shield children from hunger and food insecurity, in 2020, 7.6% of U.S. households with children experienced food insecurity, an increase from 6.5% in 2019. The U.S. government has no official definition of nutrition security, but the term often means “consistent access, availability, and affordability of foods and beverages that promote well-being and prevent (and if needed, treat) disease.” Since 2020, USDA has placed a new and much needed emphasis on nutrition security when formulating its goals and programming. People with poor diet quality face increased risk of overweight and obesity, which affects about one in five children and adolescents, as well as other costly chronic health problems. The child nutrition programs play a crucial role in ensuring food and nutrition security among the nation’s youth. At a time when many families are still experiencing COVID-19-related food and nutrition insecurity, it is vital that Congress pass a strong CNR.
Copyright:
The National Library of Medicine believes this item to be in the public domain. (More information)
Extent:
1 online resource (1 PDF file (56 pages))
NLM Unique ID:
9918557283406676 (See catalog record)
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9918557283406676